In love With a Vampire
by xXkey of destinyXx
Summary: Roxas, a troubled seventeen year old boy, is abused by his mom, gay, and best friends with a crazy pyro. Enter Sora- a new kid in town with a dark secret. When they meet, sparks will fly! Rated for later chapters. Alternates between Sora and Roxas PoV -DISCONTINUED: SEE PROFILE FOR DETAILS.
1. Chapter 1: the new kid

hey, peoples. I just wanted to say that this is my first fanfic... and that's all. so, onwards with the story!

Roxas PoV

Sometimes, I hate my best friend.

Wanna know why? He has pyromania, and he has it bad. He's one of those cases where the mental disorder has gotten so bad that he's burnt down a building—or two—just to see those orange and blue flames dancing. Actually, he's the whole damn reason Twilight Town High School is being rebuilt and we're having our classes outside in the back field. In the rain.

I'm fucking freezing.

Well, thank goodness only he and I know that he burnt down the entire east wing of the school. Otherwise… well, juvie hall for Axel once again.

I sigh and lean back in the soggy dead grass, ignoring the teacher ramble on about whatever math shit we're learning this week. I'm not the only one; I know this without even looking around. My blond mullet wearing friend Demyx is fiddling with his black guitar and his emo boyfriend Zexion is talking annoyedly to him. Probably because Demyx always wants him to sing. Besides them, the whole class is sleeping, beating each other up, screaming for no apparent reason, making out, or in Axel's case playing with a lighter and burning the tips of his fingers and his extremely expensive studded leather jacket.

Yeah… I don't know if this is obvious, or anything, but this school is kinda filled with juvenile delinquents. Most of us don't really care for learning; we mostly just come here to escape our depressing homes or abusive parents.

I stare down at the long cut I'd received a while ago from my mom. It's scabbing over now, thank god, but it looks disgusting. I'd pissed her off by asking where the salt was. Heaven forbid. She'd been holding a knife… can you put it together? Not fun for Roxas.

She'd licked by blood off of the blade then passed out, vomiting. I could only hope she'd drowned in it or slit her throat as she fell… but of course not. The bitch still lives to ruin my life every day.

If I went home to find her dead today, I wouldn't care. That is how much I hate her.

Axel clicks his lighter, interrupting my train of thought. "Wanna smoke?"

I shake my head. Honestly, I'm probably one of the best kids in school, and smoking is not high on my list of things to accomplish in life. Actually, it's not even on there. Anyway, the worst thing I've ever done was vandalize the east wing of the school, before it got burnt, with Axel and Xion. Xion, she's my other best friend, a small girl with black hair and scared blue eyes, with ADHD. Or that time that we three had beaten up Seifer's gang from the other high school where the rich kids go, that was pretty bad too. Still, I'm one of the best. I've never been caught.

Okay… fine. I don't have a very good reputation around town, but at least I've never had to spend the night behind bars.

Axel shrugs. "Suit yourself." He then lights one up for himself. Growling slightly, I grab it out of his mouth, throw it out in the distance, grab his pack of ciggs and his orange lighter, then burn the whole pack. All in the matter of ten seconds. The gross scent of tobacco fills the air.

"What the _fuck_, Roxas?" he yells as I cough, trying to get the smoke out of me. The teacher doesn't even bat a mascara lathered eyelash.

"Stop fucking smoking, man," I snap. "You're going to die of fucking lung cancer before you turn eighteen."

He grumbles but otherwise ignores me as he goes back to playing with his lighter, staring at the flame the same way a child would stare at candy before devouring it. I roll my azure eyes. Sure, I love this guy, but he's an idiot.

Xion crawls over to me from where she'd been sitting with her other friends, Naminé and Kairi. She whispers, "Nami dared me to kiss you." Her big blue eyes look close to tears from under her uneven raven bangs.

"Why?" I ask curiously, sitting up straight.

"Because she thinks I have a crush on you," she says apologetically.

"Do you?"

"No! I mean, yeah, you're really hot and nice, but I only like you as a friend, Roxie."

"Okay," I say, happy with her answer, because if she'd told me that she liked me, I may have laughed, and that would have hurt her feelings. Then she'd be pissed. "So, kiss me then."

"B-but, Axel—"

"Screw Axel, what's he gotta do anything?"

"Gee, thanks," he mutters under his breath.

Xion gives me a watery smile. "Okay, Roxie." She holds her hair back and leans forward, meeting my lips timidly.

I close my eyes, kissing her back boredly. Letting her explore my mouth with her tongue, doing the same back. Not feeling anything the whole time. No sparks, no fireworks, nothing.

This sort of worries me. I mean, I'm a hormonal seventeen year old male teenager. Shouldn't I be getting turned on by this?

A voice suddenly interrupts my worried thoughts. "There will be new student enrolling here…"

People start snickering and throwing stuff at us, ignoring the voice which I recognize as the principal's. I raise both of my hands and give the finger to everyone around.

Xion stops suddenly, noticing at the same time as me that Axel is watching us curiously. She blushes furiously and smiles shyly at him. He sticks his tongue out and smirks at her. She blushes even harder, now resembling a tomato, and runs back to her friends. I wonder what'sgoing on here… she's been so shy around Axel lately.

"Thanks, Roxie," she yells back as Kairi and Naminé giggle and make kissy faces at me. I nod, ignoring the other two girls, and prop myself up on my elbows. Axel elbows my side and grins at me.

"You lucky bastard."

"What?" I ask, slightly confused.

"She's hot." Axel raised an eyebrow as he very obviously gave Xion a once-over. "You just got to make out with her."

"Jealous?"

"Yeah, I really am. Lucky bast—"

"Shut up, Axel." I rip some dead grass out of the ground and throw a handful at him. It gets stuck in his fire truck red hair, and he frowns.

"No way, dude, my hair." His eyes narrow and he gets right up in my face. I stare at him coolly as he mutters, "Get it out."

"Who are you, Marluxia?" I glance over at the pink haired botany major, who is filing his nails, completely obsessed with his looks. "Just shake it out; I am _not_ touching your hair."

He grumpily does so and suddenly jumps on me.

"What…the fuck, Axel?" I glare at him, gasping slightly because he'd just knocked the wind out of me.

He grins, then suddenly crushes his lips against mine, making me gasp again and quite a few girls giggle.

"I think I just creamed my panties!" a girl named Selphie squeals. I groan. I so don't need this right now. Girls barely leave me alone as it is.

"Omigod, french!" another girl, Yuffie, exclaims.

Axel's hair brushes my forehead, snapping my attention back to him. This is _highly_ unusual, I think. He never does this at school or in public. Sometimes, when it's just us, he'll kiss me. Sometimes he'll leave it at that, but other times… well, you can put the pieces together. I'm still a virgin, but it has gone… pretty far. He slips his tongue past my lips after I decide to be stupid and accidentally open my mouth. I punch him in the jaw after playing along for a little bit, not wanting to admit how much I like it. I mean, I don't like Axel like that, but_ damn_, he knows how to kiss.

"Are you _high_?" I yell, then hiss, "In _public_?"

He starts laughing. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not."

I open my mouth to snap out a reply when a terse voice interrupts.

"Could you two save that for later? Don't scare off the new kid already."

My gaze snaps up as Axel rolls off me. The blue haired principal, Mr. Saïx, is glaring at us with his unnerving orange eyes. I grin sheepishly and stare at the kid standing beside him.

He's about my height, with very sexily tousled chocolate colored spikes that add a few inches to his shortness. His eyes are such a bright blue that they seem to glow in the hazy drizzle. The skin that isn't covered by grey skinny jeans and a bright red t-shirt is the precise color of caramel, and looks soft. A silver crown necklace flashes in the slight sunlight. He wears a faint cocky grin on those perfectly pouty lips.

"I'm Sora," he says, and I almost die at the sound of his voice.

Someone snickers. "He won't last a week."

I don't say anything. I _can't_. I find myself completely speechless, staring at Sora. His cerulean eyes stare coolly back, right into my own azure eyes. His style says different, but something in those eyes screams _mess with me and I'll fuck you up_. My heart is beating so hard I'm surprised no one can hear it, and my throat feels oddly dry.

Somehow… I feel some sort of connection with him. But that makes no sense. I don't even know him. All I know is that I want to. Ireally, _really _want to.

His grin never wavers as people begin throwing insults at him, in fact it grows wider. I swear he just winked at me. I look away, unable to believe my behavior.

"I don't agree with that," I mutter, fighting the slow flush creeping up my cheeks. What's wrong with me? This is how I should react when I see a girl, not a _boy_.

"What?" Axel asks from beside me.

"Nothing."

The bell rings, announcing the end of the day. The class immediately disperses, without even waiting for the teacher to finish her speech. Oh, well. It was boring anyway.

Sora immediately comes up to us and asks very bluntly, "Are you guys gay?"

I look away, my face feeling hotter than Axel's lighter. The pyro snickers. "Nice to meet you too. I'm Axel and I'm straight. Roxas here…isn't."

I punch him in the stomach, hard. Sora grins very slowly. I swear if Axel laughs any louder I'll kill him with his own lighter and my keyblade. Yeah, that's right; I have a weapon that looks like a giant key. Got a problem? Kiss my ass.

Anyways, it will be gruesome.

Sora raises a thin eyebrow in an interested way. "But you two were just…"

"Just what? Deal with it, kid. In this school, it's very likely you'll get raped," Axel says flippantly. "Gotta go. Come on, Rox."

I begin walking with Axel, looking back to smile awkwardly at Sora. He smiles back. A genuine smile, thank you very much, not a mocking one or a disgusted one or even a scared one. As we head off towards Axel's house, taking a short cut through the woods, I just hear him murmur, "Roxas, huh? I like it."

I blush but otherwise pretend I didn't hear that. Xion catches up with Axel and me. She walks a safe distance away from Axel, who is now lighting a stick on fire and waving it around.

When we're well cut off from civilization, I grab his arm furiously. "What is _wrong_ with you, Axel? Why would you tell him that? I'm not—"

"Oh, shut up, Roxie. I could read your thoughts from the second you saw him. You_ liiike_ him." Axel elbows me. "I gotta say, he's pretty damn hot."

I don't even bother denying it, because I know that he won't shut up about it if I do. I also know it's true. I just scowl silently, pissed at him.

"Well, I thought you were straight," I mumble after a long silence.

"It's called being bisexual."

Xion, thankfully changing the subject, says, "That Sora, is he following us?"

"I dunno," I say vaguely, hoping to come across like 'I don't give a shit if he is or not. Even though I do. What the _hell_ is wrong with me? Still, I can't resist a little peek back. Nothing.

"I think I was imagining him," Xion continues.

"Yeah, I think so too," I tell her, hearing a large cracking sound. I jump and look back. "Holy shit, that scared me. A tree fell." Suddenly feeling something hot on the sleeve of my black hoodie, I hiss, "Fuck!"

I wave my arm around, trying to put out the fire. Axel stares at it, seeming dazed. I yell, "Axel! Be _careful _with that shit!"

He kind of just stands there, staring at the fire. The light dances in his acid green eyes, and I can tell this isn't going anywhere good. He's in one of those insane moments of his where he goes all spacey. It's like he doesn't know anything except for his flame exists. This is exactly what had happened seconds before the school was burning down, and now, we're walking through a forest full of dead trees.

Axel seems to notice this. He grins like a maniac and throws the torch at a tree before I can stop him. I remember it's raining out and let my breath out in relief. Then the fire finds the dead wood and begins consuming all around it. These woods are so thick; the rain isn't even reaching the tree trunks. But it's so humid out, how—

Whatever. I decide I _really_ don't care as some bushes go up in a _whoosh_! "Fuck!" I yell again, grabbing both of my friends' hands and turning around, running full speed away from it. Axel makes a whining sound and I tell him, "_Shut up, Axel_!"

This seems to snap him out of whatever daze he was in. horror dawns in his green eyes and I can tell he's thinking, _not again_. Then, something totally weird happens. Axel yells, "Stop!" but not to me, to the fire. And the weirdest thing: it does. For a second, the fire stops, completely.

Before I can dwell on how fucking_ freaky_ that was, it starts up again, leaving me to wonder if I'd imagined it. Axel makes an odd choking sound as we whirl around to get the hell out of this forest before we get burnt to crisps.

I see a hazy figure up ahead, on the ground, and realize with a pang that it's Sora, unconscious. So he really was following us? Or maybe he just lives down by where Axel lives? Whatever. I debate leaving him there, but that thought makes me feel sick. I turn to Xion.

"Take Axel and _run. _Ignore everything and_ go_!"

"We can't just _leave_ you, Roxie—"

"I can handle myself!" I yell, seriously starting to panic.

She catches on to the seriousness of the situation and nods. "Alright. Come on, Axel."

They run off, and I rush over to Sora. He's trapped under a huge tree branch, barely breathing. I put my fingers to his neck and thank the gods that I feel a heart beating. Very faintly, though, and he's freezing cold and bleeding in some places. I remember hearing a tree fall and murmur to myself, "Shit, did it fall on him?" How did he_ survive_?

The fire behind me is devouring everything, getting closer fast. I try pulling Sora out from under the branch frantically. Oh God, he's stuck. I let go of him and shove the tree. It's so heavy!

I panic some more when I feel heat on my back. Looking back, I see that it's only twenty feet away and approaching_ fast_.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I mutter, pushing the tree blindly with all of my strength. "Damn you, Axel!"

Honestly, sometimes I _hate_ him.

After one final shove the tree shifts enough for me to get Sora out of under it. Without a second thought, I lift him bridal style and run as quickly as I can from the quickly gaining fire.

I can feel my energy draining, but I push myself, seeing light ahead. Almost there, almost there!

The fire is so close I can feel my sweaty skin sizzling from the heat. I squint through the smoke, coughing and gagging. My lungs feel like they're on fire like the forest, and the rest of me isn't any better. The cut on my leg is stinging like someone is pouring acid on me it. My vision is blurry I'm so dizzy it's a miracle I can make my legs move. I know dumping Sora on the ground would be what most of classmates would be the ideal plan. But I can't do that.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity of this hell, I see the blue sky again. Safely out of the fire, I drop Sora and collapse next to him, relishing the cool rain on my skin and breathing in the fresh air. A weird sound rings in my head, but I ignore it, just to trying to breathe.

It dawns on me that the weird sound is sirens and that I'm being picked up and set on a gurney, as well as Sora. I squint up at the man carrying me, the edges of my vision blurring with darkness.

I choke out, "What…"

"Don't worry kid; we're bringing you to the hospital. You'll be okay."

"But… what about… nngh…"

The darkness consumes me as I black out.

so... that's chapter one! please review! don't be too harsh though, okay... please?


	2. Chapter 2: feelings

heey guys, second chapter! and thanks for those lovely reviews *grand total of two so far woot woot* lol especially yours YouCrackMeLikeAnEgg/Becca! anyways, this chap is pree short but i just write whatever comes to my head so some chapters will be longer than others...

oh yeah, my disclaimer... i own nothing except for the plot! xD

Roxas PoV, the next day

I wake up the next day in an ugly white room with beeping sounds and chords attached to me. I'm in a hospital, I realize. What the hell happened? I remember fire and running… running with… Sora? Or had I imagined him being there?

Oh, right. Axel… lit the woods on fire… Jesus. His pyromania has gotten really bad. I make a mental note to get him some help as soon as I can, even though I'm pissed at him right now. I mean, I still love him.

Still half unconscious, I hear a girl's voice talking to me. "You'll be okay, Roxie," it's saying, crying heart-wrenching sobs that make my heart feel like it's breaking.

"Xion—" I try to say more, but a coughing fit overtakes me.

"Oh, you're awake!"

I wince as she hugs me. "What did you do with Axel?" I murmur, trying not to talk any louder so that I don't have another coughing attack.

Xion sobs and grabs my hand in an iron grip. "R-Roxie, they s-said he was an—an _arsonist_ and put him in handcuffs. He's in jail for a long time, this time."

"_Again_?" I groan. "How long?"

"Well, not _that_ long, but still… a few months, it depends on his behavior, and they bring him to therapy three times a week. But still, Roxie, that's such a long time!"

I sigh. "He can manage. As long as we visit, he'll be fine."

Xion nods uncertainly, but her blue eyes stay sad. "They also said that they were going to keep an eye on me, too. But you're good."

This doesn't make me feel any better. I sigh. "Thanks," I say.

"You're welcome." She gives a tiny smile. I smile too. It disappears quickly when I remember the reason I'm in the hospital. I mean, besides Axel.

"Where's… Sora?"

"Roxas…"

I know this is bad. She never, ever calls me Roxas unless something is seriously wrong. "He's dead," I say flatly. "Isn't he?"

She shakes her head and I resent the relief I feel, but at the same time bask in it. My heart does a little happy dance. I saved his life! Yay!

"Don't jump to conclusions. He's alive, but he's got a few broken ribs and a pierced lung. He's really lucky. The doctor said that if the tree had landed a bit more to the right, he'd have been a goner. It's a miracle he survived in the first place." She makes a wondering face. "I overheard the doctors talking about how quickly he's healing, how weird it is. But they're still happy about it."

I lean back on the hard pillow, relief coursing through me. "That's good," I breathe, closing my eyes briefly before reopening them and asking, "So, why do you sound so depressed then?"

"Roxie, I'm not depressed." She shakes her head, making her dark hair fly around. "Not about Sora. I don't even know him, well he seems cool… but… it's just… Axel…"

"What about him?" I try not to let my anger at him show in my voice.

"He's—he's— I can't believe he's in jail. I-it's not _his_ fault he's like this, and I really— " She swallows, looking down, and stops talking abruptly.

"What?" I lift her chin, forcing her to look at me.

"I think I—" She looks away again. "Nothing."

"Xion…"

New tears fall from her closed eyes. "I love him, Roxie!"

My eyes widen. I can't think of anything to say. "Uh…"

"And now—now he's in _jail_!" She pounded her fist furiously on the table next to my bed. "There's no one to bail him out of jail, 'cause his family is dead except for his brother, whathisname—"

"Reno," I supply helpfully.

"Yeah, him, and _he_ doesn't give a rat's ass about Axel. We can't do anything, 'cause we're too young! You have to be like seventeen or eighteen, but we're only sixteen! What if he doesn't get proper help in there? What if he gets worse and he like— _kills_ himself or something? This is _terrible!_"

I open my mouth to try to respond to all that, and to remind her that I turned seventeen a few weeks ago, but then a nurse walks in.

"Oh, you're awake," she says happily. "Visiting hours are over."

Xion wipes her eyes with her sleeve, stands up, hugs me, and leaves without another word. I clench my jaw as I watch her leave. Shit, I'm on some sort of emotional rollercoaster here. My emotions are _everywhere_. I'm pissed at Axel, but I feel bad that no one bothers to get him any help, even though he's filthy rich. I've tried to get him some help… but it didn't work out too well… because money makes the world go around, and I have no money. Now, Xion is in _love_ with him, and he's in jail. And me? I'm possibly in love with someone I just met. And he's a guy.

I guess I'm not straight after all. Axel was right about one thing.

And I almost died. I know my mother doesn't give a shit, so who's gonna pay for the medical stuff? Because I, for one, am not filthy rich.

"That's a very pretty girl you have there," the nurse comments, writing something on her clipboard. It snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Excuse me?" I ask.

"That girl," she gestures to the door that Xion had just walked out of, "she's very pretty. You're a lucky guy."

"Oh," I say stupidly. "She's not… she's not my girlfriend, I'm… she's not my girlfriend."

"I see." The nurse smiles. "Well. A handsome boy like you, you'll have a girl in no time."

"Um…thanks." I don't bother explaining that I don't like girls. A sudden pain shoots through my left arm and I wince.

"Would you like some pain medication?" the nurse asks, smiling assuringly the whole time.

"No," I reply tersely. Jesus, no one should be so cheerful. It's unnatural and just plain wrong.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

She fidgets uncomfortably at my unwillingness to cooperate. "I'm sorry if I offended you when I implied that you have no girlfriend. I'm sure you have someone special to you."

I sigh. "Thank you. I… I do. I'm sorry too. I just… I want to see the other guy who was brought in. Sora?"

She smiles brightly again, perking up. "When he wakes up, I'll be sure to let you visit." She stares intently at me after this.

"What?" I ask uncomfortably.

"How are you feeling?" she asks, placing a cool hand on my forehead and doing something to one of the tubes attached to my arm. I don't give it much thought as I reply, "Fine. My throat hurts, but other than that, I'm good."

She frowns. "That's weird."

I don't know what to say about that, so I just don't talk. She continues, looking at her chart, "You shouldn't even be awake yet. You're breathing fine, but you should still need the oxygen pump." She shakes her head, long brown hair shaking down her back. "That other boy—Sora, you say?—is also healing exceptionally quick…"

"I've always been like that," I assure her. One time, I'd broken my wrist and it had healed completely within two days. And my cut from my mother is completely gone now, save for a small white scar. I don't know what to say about Sora, so I just don't mention him.

"Do you have any parents we could contact?"

I turn over. Touchy subject. "I have a mother, but don't try to contact her."

'Why not?"

"Just don't."

"And your father?"

"No idea." I leave it unsaid, but my tone tells her to go away. She leaves. I begin to drift off.

Damn, I think, she did give me those stupid pain meds…

read and revieeew pleeeaaase or ill devour ur souuls :)


	3. Chapter 3: Hunger

hey everyone thanks for the AWESOME reviews i almost cried lol anyways, not much to say... so chapter 3!

Sora's PoV, three days later

"Futher Mucker!" I yell as I wake up. I immediately regret it as my dry throat feels like it's tearing. I wince as I swallow some of the water from the plastic cup on the small table next to me. It does nothing for the raw, cracked feeling that my throat is feeling. "Where the hell am I?" I mutter to myself, looking around. There's white everywhere. A beeping sound is sounding throughout the small room that I'm in. A light blue door is slightly open in the far corner.

Why the _hell_ am I in a hospital?

Oh. Right. I was walking home through the forest, _not_ following that really cute Roxas guy, and then… a crack… a crack…

I can't remember anything after that damn crack! I'm assuming a tree fell on me, which is_ insanely_ embarrassing, but it explains why I can't remember anything, and why my head hurts like a bitch. But how did I get these little burns and into this hospital?

Damn, I shouldn't be this weak. I guess I haven't eaten in a while. I grimace. My upper jaw feels like I've just taken a few punches to the face and my veins feel like a complicated system of dry pipes, cracking from lack of blood. And it _burns_.

Before I can dwell further on this, a brown haired nurse strolls in, smiling broadly. "You're awake! How are you feeling?"

Like shit! I shrug. "Fine," I lie. "How did I get here?" My voice cracks at the end and she offers me more water. I wave it away, because it won't help whatsoever. I wait as patiently as I can as she scribbles on her keyboard, which isn't very.

"You were trapped under a tree," she finally tells me. "A young blond boy saved you, risking his life, and carried you out of the forest. There was a terrible fire, so it's a good thing."

"A… fire?" I ask weakly. "Ah… how did it start?"

Her cheerful expression darkens. "One of those juvenile delinquents, the pyromaniac, lit the woods on fire." She sighs sadly and shakes her head. "I wonder about his family. I'm almost tempted to get the boy a shrink, myself."

Pyromaniac—Axel? I ask myself, not really listening to her anymore. And a blond boy? Could that be Roxas? Hmmmmm… Out loud, I say, "Is the blond here, too?"

She nods. "Yes." Then she purses her lips in a thinking way. "Well, not anymore. He actually left yesterday morning, but he gave me his number so that you could call him when you woke up."

"He did?" I feel a smile coming and bite it down. So hard that my sharp canines pierce my bottom lip, making it bleed. My throat screams in agony. Shit… I gotta get out of here and hunt. "When can I leave?"

"Not for a couple more days, I'm afraid. You were hurt pretty badly. A few broken ribs, amongst other things that will heal quickly."

I try to keep my disappointment off of my face. I'm completely healed now, and I know she knows it, but humans… they make up excuses for things that shouldn't happen. Unnatural things. I try to keep my eyes off of her small neck, off that vein that runs through it… I literally pinch myself underneath the scratchy white sheets.

"Now, I need your phone number." She goes to grab a pen and paper. "We can't get ahold of your parents."

"Um… that's because they're dead. I live by myself." That's the lovely little lie I tell everyone. My human dad _is_ dead, killed by my own vampire mother after my birth because he was having an affair with another woman, before leaving a seven year old me to fend for myself. The last words she ever spoke to me were 'The next time you see me, not only you are in trouble. Everyone you love will die.' Those words send a cold shiver down my spine every time I think of them. I have no idea where she is now. I'm not too sure I want to know, either.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaims, flustered, accidentally cutting herself with the paper. Blood well up and it takes every ounce of self restraint I have not to get up and suck her veins dry. I feel my canines lengthening.

"That's okay," I say through clenched teeth. "Can I have the blond's number now?"

She hands me my cell and a paper scribbled on in a messy cursive. I smile painfully. "Thank you." I memorize the number then ask casually, "Where's the bathroom?"

"The second door on the right past the billboard," she says distractedly. "I'll be back to check on you in an hour or so."

I nod and slowly walk out. As soon as I'm out of her line of vision, I bolt to the bathroom and lock the door. Whipping out my cell phone, I dial the number I'd just memorized.

After a few ring, a sleepy voice answers. "Hello?"

My heart skips a beat, hearing that throaty voice. "Is this Roxas?" I ask, even though I know it's him.

"Yeah… who's this?"

"Sora!" I have to physically restrain myself from yelling.

"Oh, Sora! Umm… hey! You're awake?" His voice sounds happy, but he seems exhausted.

"Yeah, and I need to get out of here. Can you pick me up?" I hate to ask him this because of his obvious tiredness, but I have this problem with not thinking before I speak. "I mean, if you want, because of course you don't really know me, and—"

I hear some rustling on the other end. "Shut up, Sora. I'm already out the door. I'll be there in five."

"Thanks," I say, but he's already hung up. _Txt when ur here ok? _I send to his number. A few seconds later, he replies, _ok._

I wait a few more minutes in the bathroom, then head back to the room. The nurse is gone. I spot my clothes, cleaned, hanging on the edge of the bed. I quickly and quietly put them on. No way am I leaving this building wearing the thin white hospital garment they'd dressed me in.

No way is Roxas seeing me like that.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I jump slightly before flipping it open.

_I'm here_

I rush out the door and through the scary white hospital halls. They'd tried to make them look more cheerful by painting starts on them. They just made me feel dizzy and sick.

"What are you doing?" a female voice asks. I whirl around to see the nurse from earlier staring straight at me, suspiciously.

"Um, I'm taking a walk," I say off the top of my head, "to stretch. It's awfully cramped in there."

She nods and waves me on my way. I smile politely at her, and then run away. Before I'm even out of the front doors, I see a bright yellow corvette idling there, with a grinning blond boy in the driver's seat. He waves as I hurry out of the hospital.

"Where did you get this car?" I demand, opening the door.

Something like guilt passes over his face. "Um… I hotwired it?" he says it like a question.

"Seriously?" I ask, unbothered. "I wish I knew how to hotwire a car." He shrugs and I smile at him. "So, you saved my life?"

He blushes. "Yeah, I guess I did."

"What should I do in return?" Is it just me, or did my voice sound flirty and suggestive? Oops…

"Aw…" he blushes some more, the pink standing out strongly on his snowy white skin that I just want to touch and—

"Don't worry about it," he continues, embarrassed and completely oblivious to the thoughts running through my head. "You don't need to give me anything. I'm just glad you're alive."

Half alive, half undead, I correct mentally, but tell him, "If ever there's something you want or need, tell me. I'll do it or get it for you."

He smiles tentatively. "Well, there _is_ one thing…"

"Name it!"

"Do you want to be friends?"

"HELL YEAH!" I tackle him in a side hug, skillfully so that I don't make him get us into a car accident. He laughs at my enthusiasm, noticeably not pushing me away. My half dead heart skips happily.

"You'll be the most normal friend I have," he says.

"Don't be so sure about that," I mutter.

"Hmmm?"

"Nothing."

Okay, I have to say something. I am about to fricking jump this kid. Not only is he the most fucking gorgeous thing I have ever laid eyes on, I need blood, and I need it now. I groan, pulling away from him and all of his hotness.

"Where do you live?" he asks obliviously.

"Cedar crescent." I grind my teeth together. "12674"

"Hmm, weird. Axel lives at 12681."

"Great," I say half sarcastically.

Roxas turns his azure eyes onto me reproachfully. "He's not so bad. He's just messed up because he's got no parents to pay for a therapist or help. He can't access the family fortune, and his brother won't pay for it. It doesn't help that Reno abuses him—" he slaps a hand over his mouth and I realize he'd just told me something forbidden.

"I won't tell," I assure him. "I won't even mention anything to Axel."

Roxas's cheeks flush slightly. "Okay…"

"I'm just wondering… what's with his tattoos? The upside down teardrops on his cheeks?"

"Oh… those. I think they're to rebel against his brother's rules or something. Axel really enjoys pissing him off; even though he always gets a beating—anyways, he thinks they look cool, too. Actually, when he got them he was going through a state of depression, that's why they're tears… but he's fine, now, you can tell… I think they're pretty interesting… oh, sorry. I babble a lot when I'm nervous."

"You're nervous?" I ask, fighting a grin. "Why are you nervous, Roxas?"

"Um, we're here," he murmurs, his fair skin slightly pink. I notice he didn't answer my question.

I look out the window and up at my giant brick house. Others see it as beautiful and perfect, but to me it just represents loneliness. "Great," I say, fully sarcastic this time. "You can come in, if you want." Please, please, _please _come in!

"Maybe next time. I have to go, my mom is waiting up." Something in his voice sounds scared as he says this, but he covers it up with a cough. "I'll text you later, okay? Get some sleep."

I nod, trying not to be _too_ disappointed, and hop out of the car. "Thanks, Roxas! I'll see you later!"

He chuckles and speeds off, tires squealing. I grin.

He's _so_ hot.

Shut up, Sora, I tell myself. You're acting like a girl.

I hear rustling in the forest behind my house. Narrowing my eyes, I squint into the darkness. Human eyes would never have been able to spot the buck grazing at the grass a few meters in, but I'm not entirely human, now am I?

I shut my brain off. Time to hunt.

well, how was it? chapter 4 won't be up for a while, I'm not finished typing it up and writing it... so it'll be sometime after Christmas... sorry... :(

please review! :)


	4. Chapter 4: predator and prey

Sora's PoV, one week later

I look down at the dead doe at my feet. Her glassy black eyes are staring up at the stars that she'll never see again. Crimson stains her silky light brown fur and pools around my sneakers. From her neck protrudes small white broken bones. I close my eyes, fighting back tears.

Why does this innocent creature have to die for me? Why hadn't I fed sooner? It's been a week since the last time, and that's not enough. So I lost control with this poor animal. Even if it meant I lost all of my vampire powers like night vision and speed, I would much rather be completely human than part vampire, having to use another life to sustain my own.

Before I can completely starts crying, I shove all my dark thoughts back into my mind and trot into my huge and empty house. In my room, I turn on my iPod and check the time. It's midnight already? I sigh boredly and crank up Linkin Park's 'Leave out all the rest', staring at my glass roof. The sky is clear tonight, so I can see all the stars and constellations, scattered all over the night sky like white diamonds on black velvet. This roof is my favorite part of my crazy awesome house. Of course, it would be better if I had someone to share it with… I sigh, thinking about Roxas. He'd become my best friend and crush. The thought of the amount of sexual tension around us when we're alone pops up in my head, making happy emotions swirl through me. Well, it's hardly my fault that he's so gorgeous I say inappropriate things sometimes, like that one time I was playing on my DS, and he asked me if I was going to do that _all_ day. I'd replied, "Would you rather I played with _you_, instead?"

Yeah… like I've said before, I don't usually think before I speak. It's not like he complains, anyway.

After a while of listening to that same song on repeat, I hear a loud bang that sounds like a car door slamming. I jump up, listening intently. I hear hurried footsteps, then a frantic pounding at my door. Feeling slightly paranoid, I let my fangs creep out and eyes go unnaturally bright in a way that would frighten off anyone and possibly make them question their sanity. I could take them; of course, I just don't feel like causing any more pain tonight.

I creep down the stairs and tiptoe to the door, throwing it open suddenly.

"SORA?"

I widen my eyes, instantly glamouring myself in front of my crush. "R-Roxas. Hey, what—"

"What the _fuck_ did I just see?" he screams, his beautiful eyes dark and wide.

"What?" I play the innocent act.

"You—you h-had fangs, and I—I thought you were gonna k-kill me—" He swallows and takes a deep breath, visibly calming down. "Never mind—I imagined it. Sorry, I've had a rough night."

"Okay, well… what brings you here? It's awfully late."

He averts his eyes, staring at his scruffy blue converse. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"Nah, I don't sleep much. Come in, don't just stand there."

He chuckles, and then follows me into my house. Only now, in the light, do I see how bad he looks; he's bleeding, bruised, and he can barely walk. I can't help but lick my lips. How good would he taste…? _Sora, stop it._ That sounds _endlessly_ sexual. Then I mentally slap myself for even _thinking_ that.

"What happened to you?" I demand, bringing him into my room. I put an arm around his slim waist to help him walk. "You look like a steamroller ran you over!"

"Oh, that." He laughs weakly. "Funny story, actually." His expression tells me it's anything but funny. I raise an eyebrow expectantly, closing my bedroom door behind me.

Suddenly, he bursts into tears. Completely shocked and unprepared, I can't think of anything to do. I stand there frantically for a moment, unable to think of a way to comfort him. Finally I just pull him into my arms, letting his tears soak my shirt.

"Sora…" he sobs, huge, heart wrenching sounds that break my heart.

I stare down at him, wild eyed. "Roxie, what happened?"

He doesn't answer, just continues crying, one arm around my waist and one hand gripping mine. I blush slightly and rub his back soothingly. "Roxas, tell me," I say gently.

"I—I c-can't…"

"Of course you can," I murmur, brushing his light blond hair from his azure eyes. Oops… maybe that's a little bit out of the 'best friends' zone. Meh, I don't care about that right now, all I want to know is why Roxas is crying.

Some sort of dam breaks inside him and words begin pouring out, stumbling over each other in their hurry. "Oh, God, Sora… my m-mom, she—she tried to kill me. I—I went t-to get my keyblade…"–He has a keyblade? So do I. Weird.—"but I couldn't, she just kept trying t-to kill me and beating me and I can't—I can't take it anymore." He bites his lip, bringing wet blue eyes up to mine before looking away and muttering, "I'm sorry for loading all of this on you, I—"

Throughout all this, I become so furious I can't speak.

I'm going to kill her. Fucking _kill_ her. No one and I mean _no one_ will hurt _my_Roxas and get away with it.

"I'm sorry…" he says again, trying to pull away. I tighten my arms around him.

"Roxas, I don't care that I only met you a couple of weeks ago, you're the best person I've ever met in my life, and I really like you. No one deserves to be treated like this, especially not you," I tell him truthfully, finding my voice and fighting to keep it from trembling.

"R-really?" he whispers. "I mean, you—you really like—?"

I want him to stop talking. I can tell his jaw is hurt, so even talking hurts him. And… well… I can't resist his perfect trembling lips, no matter how hard I try… so I lean forward and kiss him softly, cutting him off mid-sentence. His fingers tighten around mine in surprise as he gasps quietly. I linger there for a few more seconds, then pull away and smile faintly at his expression.

"S-S-Sora—" His cheeks are beet red, and it looks adorable. "W-w-what…?"

I grin. "I've wanted to do that for quite a while. Now," my tone becomes serious, "I have to ask you somethi—"

He suddenly pushes me against the wall and kisses me ferociously. I gasp as my back hits the wall, hard, and open my mouth in utter shock and surprise. His tongue snakes into my mouth as he puts his forearms on the wall next to my head, deepening the kiss. I'm so freaking shocked that I just let him do it, sliding down to the ground and bringing him with me, trying not to moan in pleasure.

"Me too," he gasps when we come up for air. "Since I first saw you."

"Fuck, Roxas, you almost gave me a heart attack," I pant. "Woah. Just… woah," I repeat stupidly. He's a great kisser.

Roxas grins, but it looks more like a grimace of pain as it affects his jaw. "Ow… well, I'm glad you're the first person I told. So what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"W-why don't you tell the cops?" I demand, oddly touched that I'm the first person he's ever told, not even Axel, his best friend of many years. It makes me happy that he trusts me enough. Wanting more but knowing better than to push him in such a state, I wait for his answer silently.

He shrugs nonchalantly.

"Do you ever wish she would just die?" I blurt out before I can stop myself. Damn, Sora, WHY DON'T YOU THINK BEFORE YOU _OPEN_ YOUR MOUTH?

His eyes widen. I'm expecting him to yell at me and tell me I'm crazy and that he hates me. Instead, much to my shock, he says, "Hell yes I do. A bitch like that doesn't deserve to live."

"Seriously?" I ask, interested and sort of freaked out. Not because he wants someone dead, but because he's actually agreeing and not freaking out at me. I mean, _I_ would freak out at me. I'd probably slap me. "Because I could arrange for her death to go unnoticed." Oh damn, I did _not_mean to say that. Now he's going to think I'm some sort of freak, and then he'll—

"How?" he wants to know, cutting off my useless inner babbling. "I don't want you to get in trouble just for me."

I stare at him, my mouth hanging open. "Roxas, shouldn't you be, like, scared or something?"

"Why would I be scared of you?" he asks, seeming genuinely puzzled. "You practically just granted what I've been wishing for my entire life."

"When do you want her dead?" I honestly—_honestly_—cannot believe I'm talking to Roxas about killing his mother. Usually, I can't stand death, but now… I can't wait. Anyone who hurts Roxas won't live to tell the tale.

"Soon," he says.

"Done."

"Um, Sora, can I…" he shifts, a little uncomfortably, "can I stay the night here? I can't… go back home, my mom… you know…" he looks at me, seeming apologetic.

A million and one perverted thoughts flash through my head, but I ignore them and say, "Sure, there's lots of empty room you can have."

"Have?"

"Yeah. I figure when she's… gone… you can come live here, if you want." I leave the _please_unsaid but I think he hears it in my tone. He smiles, and my heart almost stops because of its beauty. His azure eyes light up, seeming to make my dark room brighter. He looks like some sort of angel… the light to my darkness. Lame, I know, but it feels true. I manage to smile back when he gives me a big bear hug.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" he squeals, laughing. It's so contagious that I start to laugh to. I pry his arms off of me and lay on my back on my bed, patting next to me. "Do you like stars?"

He nods but looks uncertain. I smirk. "Come on, I don't bite."

"It's not you," he mutters. "I'm afraid I might do something."

My spine tingles at his low tone. I prop myself up on my elbows and ask casually, "Like what?"

"Stuff…" he murmurs reluctantly, crossing his arms.

"What kinda stuff?" I press, giving him my puppy dog eyes. No one I've ever met can resist these babies.

He doesn't respond, just looks at me hungrily, approaching slowly until his knees touch mine. What I do next, I kinda hate myself for it, but I can't _not_ do it., you know? Very slowly I sit up, brushing the tips of my fingers along his upper thighs. He tenses up, clenching his jaw and looking away stubbornly.

"Please tell me?" I pout.

Some sort of control he has going on seems to break. "Stuff like this." He practically pounces on me. "And this—" he kisses me, taking my breath away from the first touch of his lips, "And this—" he unzips my hoodie, "And this…"

"Ah, I get it, I get it!" I gasp, overwhelmed as his mouth travels down my neck and chest. He grins and nuzzles his face into my neck, making me shudder. I can feel myself growing hard already.

"Hey, you asked," he mutters, rolling off of me. I pout momentarily, the notice that he winces as he moves, reminding me that he's in pain.

Duh, Sora! Stop being such a selfish lust filled sex wanting hormonal vampire and fix him up!

"Roxas, c'mon." I bring him to my bathroom. Looking through my cupboards, I notice he covered in dirt and grime. "You're all dirty," I inform him, wetting a cloth and dabbing his arm with it. It has a nasty cut with something that looks like gravel in it. It's scabbing over already, but he still winces as I clean it, even though I'm doing my best to be gentle.

"You wish," he mutters through clenched teeth. I blush and he smiles faintly. "Yeah, I'm filthy, I know. I spent most of tonight outside on the ground, fending off a high and drunk woman." He looks down at himself and all the small wounds that are gonna have to be cleaned, unless he's interested in some gross infection.

"You could use my shower," I offer. "I have lots of soap." Truthfully, I kinda just want to see him na—

"Sure," he replies, thankfully cutting off that thought. "But I have no other clothes here."

"You can use mine," I say, thinking about the endless supply of clothing in my closet. "You're about the same size as me."

"I'd say… I'm bigger." He looks pointedly at a place on me that will remain unnamed.

I roll my eyes but don't dignify his comment with an answer. I turn on the hot water and open the curtain. "I'll grab you a towel, be right back."

He nods and I walk out, hearing shuffling and knowing he's stripping down. I ignore this and go to the closet just outside the bathroom, grabbing the fluffiest towel I can find, a baby blue one. At the bathroom, I knock on the door.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure, if you're comfortable seeing me in my boxers.

I throw open the door, maybe a little too eagerly, but it doesn't seem to bother him at all. I hand him the towel, trying to keep my eyes away from his chest and stomach, and failing so epically it should be, like, a world record or something.

Seriously, though, how can I _not_ stare at his abs, a six pack practically screaming _Look at me and drool, and oh yeah, get a boner while you're at it!_ His arms are toned, but not overly muscle, just perfect. _He's_perfect. I almost melt right then and there, especially since there's a thin sheet of sweat covering his entire body, most likely from the effort of fighting off his mother.

He notices my reaction, much to my dismay. His grin gets slowly wider as he lets his eyes travel up and down my clothed body. I feel like I'm burning from the intensity of his gaze. The look in his eyes is almost predatory, I swear.

Hey, hold up. That is _not_right. At all. I'm the predator here. I want to taste _him_, in every sense of the word.

"So," he says, breaking the thick silence. "I'm just gonna hop I here, so…"

"Right!" I say as I snap out of it and fight the urge to rip my clothes off and follow him into the shower and have my way with him. "Yeah, I'll leave, um… I'll be… in m-my room." I stutter like the idiot I am, making him chuckle as I slip out the door.

Damn, has anyone noticed? I'm like, the world's worst vampire, like… ever. I thought we're supposed to be all cool and calm and stuff. And pale. And scary. Whatever, whoever made that up was obviously high on something good, because I am none of the above. Well, maybe I have my moments of mild scariness. Roxas nearly shit himself earlier, I remember. But that's it. Not cool, calm or pale.

Damn, I think again, looking down at my stupid hard-on. I'm gonna have to do something about that.


	5. Chapter 5: resisting temptations

Well, peoples, I forgot to say happy New Year's and merry Christmas and all that good stuff when I posted chapter four. So, happy New Year's and merry Christmas! XD Anyways, I've worked pretty damn hard on this chapter, so I hope it's good. I don't know why; it was just hard to write. This is where things kinda start to heat up for Roxy and Sora...mweheeehehheheheheheheh...I hope it's satisfactory in all its perverted glory. (Who says that? Satisfactory? Besides Zexion... cuz he talks funny... Sheeesh...) Anyhoodles, insert disclaimer, yadda yadda blah blah blah...

Also, I'm sorry for killing off Roxas's mom... I got a comment about that not being entirely likeable... sorry... .

Enough of my useless rambling.

Roxas PoV

Man, rich people have it_ great._ I have never in my life had a shower so hot. It feels so good running down my aching muscles and stinging cuts that I'm tempted to never, ever get out.

But then... I think of Sora and a whole different kind of rushes through me. Even though there's something kind of... off... about him, I think I fell in love with him. I don't think anything could change the way I feel about him. I'd never really believed in that love at first sight thing, but... I do now. Ever since the first time I'd laid eyes on him, I'd felt some sort of connection with him, and he's all I can think about. I think about those many times I'd, ahem, fooled around with Axel and the butterfly sensation I'd gotten in my stomach. Yeah. When I was kissing Sora earlier, those weren't butterflies fluttering around in there. Those were fucking pterodactyls.

That though makes me smile, until I notice the damn water has gone cold. I shiver. I hate cold showers with a passion. I just... ugh, they're just not right, okay? Anyway, how long have I been in here? I turn off the taps, hoping Sora won't be upset that I've used all his hot water.

I peek out of the curtain to make sure he hadn't come back in for any reason. Coast clear. Remembering that he'd told me he'd be in his room, I wrap the blue towel around my waist and stuff my destroyed clothes into the garbage before heading out into the hallway.

As soon as I step out, I'm greeted with a blast of icy cold air. Frickin' lovely. Teeth chattering, I do my best to run to his room while making sure not to let my towel fall or to bite my tongue off.

I'm just about to turn the handle when I hear a low moan from behind the door. I pause, silent as a ghost, and hear him panting.

My stomach does a weird jump thing as every single drop of blood in my body rushes to the same place. I must've died and gone to heaven, because there's no way this could _actually _be happening. Because if my assumptions are correct... then Sora is on the other side of this door, jerking himself off, while I could just walk in on him.

... Holy _fuck_.

So, I ignore my coldness and stand just outside the door. Yeah, I'm a sick person I know...but this is just waytoo hot to pass up, you know? He moans again, and _damn_ am I glad that I'm not wearing pants right now, because they would be _tight_. I bite back a moan myself, squeezing my eyes shut and sliding down to the ground as he begins panting something I can't understand between hot little mewls and sounds that have me wanting to go in there and do... something...

"Roxas," he suddenly moans loudly, his voice cracking and sounding close to release. And god, I almost died. I swear if he says my name like that again, I'm going to lose my mind.

So... of course... he has to scream it. The sound is muffled, but it makes me whimper anyway. I want to go in there and fuck him so hard he won't be able to sit right for weeks... or he could fuck me, I don't really care at this point. I just want _something_. Curse my aching muscles, if it weren't for them I would already be in there!

I hear shuffling sounds and footsteps, and then his door opens before I get the chance to bolt the hell outta there.

"Roxas," he exclaims, faking surprise. "Um...hi!" He quickly hides a hand behind his back.

I'm so freaking turned on that I can't even form a single sentence, so I just look at him. He's there in some boxers and his crown necklace, and that's it. It takes all of my will power (and my sore muscles screaming at me) not to jump up and scream at him to take me. Right here, right now. He can fuck me up against the wall. I don't care.

"Uh... how long... have you been sitting out here, Roxas?"

I just continue to stare at him, and he must see something in my eyes that makes him blush and slowly look away.

"So... you heard that, did you."

It wasn't a question, but I nod. "Yeah," I say slowly, standing up in front of him. The arm he's hiding tenses up.

"Sorry," he murmurs, his blue eyes apologetic under his chocolate bangs.

"Nah, don't be," I say, ruffling his hair affectionately. "That was probably the hottest thing I've ever heard. So, no worries."

He blushes a whole new shade of red that I didn't even know was possible, grinning. "R-really?" he stutters adorably. He brings his hand out from behind his back, suddenly mischievous. "Then you won't mind this?"

Oh, shit. I feel myself tense up and try to hold back a groan, but it doesn't work too well... "Sora..." I mutter, trying (and failing!) to keep my eyes off the sticky whiteness all over his hand. "You just want to fuck me so bad, don't you?"

He laughs, scratching his head sheepishly. "Kinda. Yeah. I just kinda want to have sex... but it you want me to top..."

I clench my jaw. How can I pass up this opportunity? Crap, I can't think properly with all the dirty images flashing in my head. Kinky pictures of us in countless positions keep popping up, rendering me breathless and making my mouth go dry. Just when I'm about to tell him to go for it, my stupid muscles decide to get all complainy. Finally, I swallow and say, "Okay... but not today." Damn, I suck. Stupid fucking achiness—

"Why?" He gets very close to me, and I have to shut my eyes tight in order to keep up my self-control and resist him. I mean, I would like to be able to walk tomorrow. "Why?" he repeats when I don't answer, whispering into my neck and planting wet kisses everywhere. I shudder, and he tangles his fingers in my hair...

...even the sticky ones. Bastard, I just finished washing that! I bite back a moan, but it still comes out as a tiny whimper, barely audible. This makes him growl very sexily and nibble at under my jaw.

"B-because... I would enjoy...being able to, ah, walk tomorrow. And it would ruin the m-mood every time I have to stop in p-pain," I manage to get out before he bites down on my neck, making me gasp and jerk my hips forward. It's an odd mixture of pain and pleasure, and I love it. His tongue licks the teeth marks, making my breath hitch as a feverish heat spreads quickly downwards. He places a hand on my hips, which keep jerking on their own accord, and presses me flat against the wall. My fingernails scratch at the wall as I try not to bring my hands in front of me and finger myself. I'm sure that wouldn't help my resisting. I let out a low moan that vibrates up my throat.

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to fuck you no matter what," he says breathlessly when he pulls away, much to my dismay. I lean forward to kiss him, not wanting this to end quite yet, but just before I can deepen it, he pulls away again.

"I thought you didn't want to have sex right now," he says accusingly.

I roll my eyes. "I want to make out, not have sex." I go to grab him again, but he jumps lightly back, laughing.

"We'll wait. And I can't make out anymore, not unless you want me to rape you."

Hmmm... sounds fun. "Fine," I sigh, unhitching myself from the wall. He stares at my neck proudly. "What the hell are you looking at?" I ask, touching my neck gingerly with my fingers. Heated, tender flesh meets my fingertips, and I glare at him. "You gave me a hickey!"

He nods in a very casual way. "I'm going to go wash up. There are some clothes in my closet, pick something. I'll be right there." Then he walks off, as though nothing had happened.

"Bastard," I mumble again, running my fingers through my hair and then wiping them on my towel. I can hear his laughter coming all the way from the bathroom.

I go into his enormous room, the only place in his house that actually had any personality in it. The walls are painted dark red, with one white one that has some sort of outline or drawing on it. It's too light to really make out anything, but it seems to be some sort of keyblade or something. I'm guessing he's going to get a mural painted on it, but it's really weird that he'd draw a keyblade on his wall. Most of the people I know don't even _know_ what a keyblade is.

Anyway, the carpet in this room is so soft, it should actually be a crime. In the corner, there's a case closed with a lock. I wonder briefly what's inside. His king sized bed is illuminated by moonlight from his glass roof (which is _insanely_ awesome). I look into his walk-in closet and think mournfully that it's bigger than my room at home.

Home...

That's not my home, not anymore. It never really was anything to me except for a place to sleep.

I wonder idly how Sora would kill my mom. If he stabs her, that would be really gory and gross and people would hear her screams. If he shoots her, people will hear gunshots. If we bomb the house that would just be ridiculously stupid, because the cops would arrive, and we _definitely_ do not want that. I can't think of any other ways.

It dawns on me that I should be scared of Sora, but the feeling just won't come. Maybe it's because he makes me feel safer and happier than I ever have.

"Damn, all his clothes are so expensive. What do I choose?" I murmur to myself, shuffling through hangers of designer looking clothes.

"Wear those black jeans and that dark blue shirt. They'll go good with your eyes," Sora says, suddenly popping up behind me. I yelp and jump, pretty scared considering I'd just been thinking about murder.

"Give me a heart attack, will you!" I scold him, clutching at my chest as I try to get my heart out of my throat. "And, I can't borrow any of this stuff!"

"Why the hell not?"

"It's too expensive!"

He rolls his eyes. "It's fine, Roxas. Just use 'em, I can buy more of you destroy them."

I stare at the clothes that look so luxuriously soft. I still feel that it's wrong, but if he says it's okay... I guess I can use them. "Thanks," I mutter, grabbing the clothes he'd suggested off their hangers.

"Mmhhmm." He turns around, looking through his clothes as well, even though he's already dressed.

"Hey, Sora? I have a question," I say after a while of silence.

"Shoot."

"Well... how are you so rich?" Man, I've been curious about this_ forever._ "I mean, you're a high school student, with no job, living by yourself in a fucking_ mansion_. It makes no sense."

He turns around to look at me, his normally bright eyes seeming dark. "My father left me the family fortune before he was mur— I mean, before he died." He corrects himself mid-sentence, but I still catch on.

"Your dad was _murdered_? _How_?" I demand before I can stop myself. A pained expression flashes across his face and I quietly add, "If you want to tell me, that is. Sorry."

"That's okay. My mom killed him then left me. I was seven," he says indifferently, voice not betraying any pain. But I can see it there in his eyes.

I'm speechless. What kind of mother would do that? That's horrible! Actually... who knows? That's probably where my dad went, killed by my mom. I wouldn't be surprised, not in the least. I know for a fact she's killed before.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, not sure what I should say.

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault." He sighs. "Seems like we both have mom problems, huh?"

"Yeah... and I have no idea about my dad. I can't remember ever meeting him." The subject is kinda touchy, so I just stop talking. Then I realize something embarrassing. "Um... Sora... I have no boxers to wear."

He snorts, and then something lands on my head. I reach up to find a pair of black boxers with red hearts on them. I laugh through my embarrassment and say, "Boxers with hearts? Nice."

He grins sheepishly, telling me to shut up and put them on. "I won't look." He turns his back to me and covers his eyes with his fingers, like a little kid playing hide-and-go-seek. It's so cute I can't help but giggle.

"Okay, I'm done." I gesture to the outfit he'd recommended earlier. "You're sure I can use these?"

He nods. "You'd look so hot in them."

Damn, I think with a faint blush. I don't think I can beat his level of hotness. It's just... not impossible. I thank him again, putting the clothes on hurriedly.

"Stop thanking me," he insists.

"Why? My life has changed since I met. You're the reason I live without the fear of dying," I tell him. It sounds sort of sappy, but whatever. It's the truth.

He 'aaaawwwwws's and I blush some more, trying to cover up my very obvious hickey. "Why all the dark clothes? What're we doing at this time of the night?" I glance at the clock. 1:36 am.

Sora looks like he wants to say something inappropriate, but stops himself. "We're gonna go kill your abusive bitch of a mother. Unless you've changed your mind."

"Oh um..." I think about it. I'm sort of leery about the fact that we're getting ready to go kill someone, my own mother no less. We'd spend the rest of our lives locked up if we were to get caught, and I'd have to live with the guilt of knowing I had helped _end_ someone's life.

Then I think of the countless times I'd had to sleep outside when my mom was so wasted she was throwing knives and other sharp objects around, even in the winter. The endless times I'd been burnt, cut, punched, slapped, you name it, I got it. The torture and suffering that has been my life for seventeen years. I make up my mind and meet Sora's worried eyes.

"No, I haven't changed my mind. Today, she stops causing pain." I take a deep breath. "Today, she dies."

Yeah, sorry for making them seem like completely heartless murderers... I just had to get rid of his mom, and get Sora's secret out (next chapter, obviously) and I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.

Review, please! I'm so surprised with the amount I've gotten already, and that so many people like this! I wasn't expecting anything good to come of it! Thank you guys, I love you!


	6. Chapter 6: Sora's secret

Just an FYI, guys, I don't know how to make someone speak with a slur. So just pretend dear old mom is slurring, yeah? :D

Roxas PoV

The closer we get to my house, the more nervous I get. My stomach churns violently and I'm afraid I might throw up. I start driving Sora's midnight blue car slower.

What if we get caught?

I feel like I haven't been on this street for years, but I know that it's only been hours.

I shift uncomfortably, my heart up in my throat and my mouth all chalky. Sora notices this from the passenger seat and suggests, "I could drive."

"No," I say, grinding my teeth. The sharp pains keep my worries away. "I'm fine."

He continues to look at me worriedly, so I stick my tongue out at him. He grins, but it fades as I pull up a few houses away from my shithole of a house. Seriously, it's falling apart so bad I don't even want to attempt to describe it.

I see a shadow stir in the front window and look at Sora.

"There's some stuff I want to grab from my room. Can you wait here?"

He looks uncertain. "How are you getting in?"

"I'll run through the front door, then run to my bedroom and stick something under the handle so that she can't get in. It should take a few seconds for her to get off her ass. Then, you can heroically rush in and... and do your thing." I'd planned this all out in my head on the silent drive here, and it was an okay plan. Hopefully. It just depends on how wasted she is tonight. If she's passed out, that'll be even better.

"What if it doesn't work? What if she gets to you before you can get to your room, and I can't get there in time to help you?"

Why does he have to go and say my fears out loud? Now I'm even more scared than I was before.

"Have a little faith, yeah?" I say nervously.

"Look, Roxas, are you sure? I could go in with you, just in case it turns nasty. I know how child abuse can get."

I'm already shaking my head by the time he's finished. "I wish you could... but it'll just make her angrier if she sees me with a guy. When she found out I'm gay..." I trail off, not wanting to remember that night where she'd found Axel and I making out on the couch. I shake my head again, clearing it, and get out of the car.

Sora meets me in front of the car and looks at me, his eyes scared. I feel my heart swell up. He really, really cares about me. It makes me want to cry and kiss him and never stop. Instead, I force my voice not to tremble as I say, "I'll call for you if anything happens, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Sora gives me one final hug before murmuring, "Well, off with you, then."

I pull out of his arms and give him a smile that is way more confident than I'm feeling. I head to the front door, but Sora catches my wrist.

"One more thing," he says. "When I get in there, close your eyes and cover your ears. Whatever you do, do_ not_ open them." He tells me this with an urgency that startles me. I nod, somewhat confused, and shuffle up the crumbling walkway up to the rusty front door. Before I can open the mailbox and grab the spare key from next to all the dead moths, the door swings open with a screech that makes me cringe.

My mother glowers down at me. She _reeks _of alcohol and drugs and looks like such a disgusting pile of shit that it makes me feel dirty just being _related_ to her. I thank genetics that I look_ nothing_ like her.

"Where've you been?" she demands, already swinging her fist towards me. Axel and I had taken quite a few self-defense classes, so I easily duck under her oncoming punch and bolt it to my room.

She screams a bunch of insults my way, and I let them in one ear and out the other, completely used to it by now.

"I'll kill you faggot!"

Ah...nice to see you too, mom.

I ignore the slight sting these last words cause and run through the dingy hall to my room at the other end. I lock the door behind me and stare frantically at the mess of clothes and random junk that is my floor.

Okay, I need some clothes, _definitely_ some of my own boxers, my iPod, cell, cell charger, DS...well, I guess that's optional, but you know, I kinda want it—

A weird scraping sound on my door tears me out of my thoughts, making me flinch. It almost sounds like nails screeching down a blackboard; enough of it, and I'd probably go crazy. The wood of my door splinters a little and I think with a flash of white panic, _damn, she has the butcher knife._

You know what? _Fuck_ my stupid DS. I don't freaking need that thing. I spot my black and white checkered wristband and put it on my left wrist. I stuff a whole whack of random clothes and my cell and stuff into my black and white checkered school backpack (I like checkers, okay?), trying to keep calm even when I hear my door make a very not-good cracking noise. That _can't_ be healthy. For the door...or me.

I finally find what I'd been searching the hardest for, my keyblade, Oathkeeper, underneath my bed, where I've always kept it hidden from my mom. As I rush to pick it up, wood snaps, my door slams down and my mother stumbles in, swinging the knife randomly and blindly. The knife is arching towards me as my fingers claw at the floor, desperately reaching for Oathkeeper. I almost don't get it in time to block the would-be fatal strike.

"Sora!" I yell as my mother tries a head shot. I jump away from the blade and hear Sora yell an affirmative.

All I can do is block; she's coming at me so sloppily it's almost as bad as someone skilled. She gets past my guard suddenly and I feel my left arm slice open.

I gasp and drop the keyblade, pain erupting through my whole left side as blood splatters to the floor. I hiss in pain and try to dodge her next swing, but the quick blood loss is making me dizzier than all hell. I trip on something and land painfully on my back, biting my tongue on the way down. I sit out blood and glare at her. Her smirk is so triumphant and gloating that I want to puke. It fades as her glazed eyes focus on my neck.

"Where the hell did ya get that?" she demands angrily.

My lip curls. "From my fucking _boyfriend_, bitch. Like you give a shit." I spit up some more blood onto her baggy blue jeans. That probably wasn't the best thing to do, but I couldn't resist. My anger got the better of me.

Her face transforms into a mask of drunken fury. She brings her had down, and I gasp at the sudden pain that spikes through my face.

"You little slut," she hisses, her foot connecting painfully with my shin. I bite my tongue so that I don't make any noise—I _refuse_ to let her know she hurt me. She yanks me up by my wounded arm and I chomp down a scream so hard blood refills my mouth.

_Shit, _where the_ hell _is Sora?

"If you beg me, I might not kill you," she hisses, running the sharp edge of the knife down my wound. I almost pass out.

Blackness tinting the edges of my vision as she continues to do that same thing, I squeeze my eyes shut.

"No."

"Beg."

"_No._"

She shakes me. "Little bitch."

My back suddenly slams against the wall. Shit.

I reach for Oathkeeper. I can _almost _reach it. I'm so close I let out a little cry.

One fucking centimeter.

She kicks it away.

Still, I won't stop fighting. She punches me, and even as pain blooms in my ribs, I punch back. Never stopping. Even when my energy reaches zero, I _don't stop_.

_Sora, where are you?_ I _need_ him, need to know that I'm not alone in this, that if I die I won't be alone when it happens.

Without warning, the knife swings back. Everything seems to go in slow motion. It goes away, then comes back...heading straight for my chest. I stop fighting and close my eyes.

This is it. I'm dead. And Sora...he isn't here. I'm alone.

But the pain I expect never comes. Instead, my mother's weight is suddenly lifted off of me. With nothing to hold me up, I crumple to the ground, gasping for air. I'm hurting so bad I can't even describe it. Dry sobs wrack my body.

A mangled cry sounds through the room. It sounds wet, like a baby gurgling, but sick and nasty. I open one eye, and what I see through the blackness threatening to overwhelm me shocks me so bad, worse than anything else that had happened tonight, that I think I do black out for a few seconds.

My mom is clutching at her throat, her dark eyes rolled back in her head and blood foaming out of her mouth. It runs down her face and her throat, joining the mess of blood that is her neck. And Sora—_Oh, God, Sora_—has his teeth in her neck. Except they're not teeth. They're _fangs_.

His eyes are glowing unnaturally as he suddenly jerks his head to the side. There's a loud ripping sound, like wet fabric tearing, and blood sprays up the wall. It splatters on everything; Sora, me, my walls... She stops struggling and her body goes limp.

A small whimper escapes me. Sora... he's a va—I can't even think... that. My brain... won't process it.

Sora wipes blood off of his beautiful mouth, which is opened in a bone-chilling snarl. His eyes turn from vicious to shock as they meet my wide and slightly freaked out ones. He quickly drops my—what _used_ to be my mother behind the bed, hiding her body, even though I'd already gotten an eyeful. But it doesn't matter. I can't tear my eyes away from him.

Everything about him seems to have become more...defined, somehow. He looks beautiful, inhumanly beautiful, but terrible... and cold.

"Roxas, I-I told you not to look!"

Even his voice is different. It's raspy and low, like a lion's purr.

"I-I—S-Sora..." I can't think properly. My brain is too busy trying to accept this new discovery. "W-w-what—"

"What am I?"

I nod, trying to calm down. I can tell my fear is hurting him. It's in his sapphire eyes. Plus...this is still Sora. I trust him... more than anyone I've ever trusted. So I swallow my fear and sit up as straight as my dizziness will allow, clutching the wound on my arm and my ribs. I'm pretty sure something's dislocated, there... but I can worry about that later. Right now...

"Sora..."

"Can't you... figure it out?" He sounds sad... no, not sad... scared. Like I'm going to hate him or something.

He looks so vulnerable; I feel my heart swell up. I swallow and nod uncertainly, not quite trusting my voice enough for more than one word sentences.

He makes himself look normal again, his blue eyes softening and his face looking less unnatural and more human. Even his fangs retract.

He opens his mouth slowly, as though balancing words inside his head. "Roxas, you... you can figure out... I'm not all human...right?"

"Y-yeah."

"I'm half... something else."

"Vampire," I whisper.

Sora looks at his feet. "...Yeah."

This is probably a stupid question for this moment, but... "So why can you go in the sun, then?"

He bursts into laughter. "You find out I'm a bloodsucking creature and ask me _that_?" I grin along with him, wincing as my head pounds. He shakes his head, his laughter fading. "Well, the thing is, I'm not all vampire. I _am_ half human. I think. Well, I'm half not vampire, let's say, because I've never met my dad."

Well, this explains everything I've ever thought about him. Unnaturally charismatic, wonderful, _perfect_...

"So... your mom was a-a vampire, then?"

"Yes," he says, pleased.

"How did it happen?"

His eyes are blank. "What?"

"I mean... how did you get born? I thought... vampires, they're...dead, yeah?" He nods. I continue, "So how do they... reproduce?" My voice squeaks awkwardly on the last word. My hazy mind yells at me. _Grow up, Roxas!_

"I have no idea," he says, still in that careful tone. "It _should _be impossible... but here I am." He gestures at his tense body. I wish he would relax. This hasn't changed my opinion on him, whatsoever. When you're in love, I don't think anything can.

"Sora..." I start hesitantly. I'm not sure how to ask this without him taking it the wrong way.

He plops down in front of me, looking like he wants to hug me. But he doesn't. "Yeah?" he asks cheerfully, but it sounds forced. I pretend not to notice and meet his eyes nervously.

"Can you...Can you...die?"

He instantly looks down, his thick lashes falling to cover his blue eyes. "Do you want me to?"

"No!" I try to stand up, but a dizzy spell hits me and I crumple back down, gritting my teeth. Sora grabs my forearms to help me balance myself. I take a deep breath, clearing my head, and keep talking. "Fuck... no. No, that's not what I meant, I was just curious..."

"I... I can probably die a lot easier than any full vampire, but... I'm probably more durable than a human." He looks at me regretfully. "No offense."

"None taken." I swallow, letting my eyes flutter closed for just a moment. Maybe it'll make the world stop spinning. It just gets worse, and when I open my eyes, I see black spots dancing in my vision. I try to blink them away, but that makes more appear.

"Do you hate me now?"

Sora's soft voice breaks the fog in my mind. "No... Of course not... Nothing could make me hate you, Sora... I'm not even scared, which makes me wonder what's wrong with me... because any _normal_ person would have run away screaming by now..." All this talking is making me light headed, so I let my forehead rest on his chest. His heart is beating slowly, but it gets faster the closer I get to him. But he's really warm, which I guess is because of his combined blood... it helps, a little. "It's just...you could have...told me before..."

Sora laughs quietly at my typical rambling. "I wanted to tell you. I just didn't think you'd take it so well." He rests his face in my hair.

My heart thuds happily. God, I love him so much... I want to tell him, now. But I don't know how... I lean up to kiss him on the lips.

He's just starting to respond, but one of his hands touches the deep gash in my left arm. We both snap away from each other.

"Your arm," he gasps, staring at the blood staining it with wide eyes. "Oh, God, Roxas, your arm. What happened?"

I shiver, the loss of contact with his heat making me colder than I should be. "M-my mom—she had a knife..."

"You're losing too much blood," he interrupts, panic making his voice higher than usual. "We have to close that wound before... before something bad happens."

"Not the hospital," I say warily as he helps me stand up. The world spins and I hold onto him tight to keep from falling over.

"Not the hospital," he agrees. "My house. C'mon."

Sora grabs my bag from my bed and Oathkeeper, which had been lying on my floor. He hands my keyblade to me wordlessly as he starts to half carry me out of the room, through the dusty halls and out the front door into the streets of the unsuspecting neighborhood. The sun is just beginning to rise, orange and red and pink staining the clouds. I can't see it very well, though; black fog is clouding up my vision, getting so bad that I can't see _anything_ and I'm pretty sure Sora has lost all feeling in his hand. He opens the back door and sets me in the back seat, doing the best he can in the small and cramped space. I'm kind of uncomfortable in the awkward position, but I don't complain. The worry and panic in his eyes is bordering on hysteria, and I don't want to make it worse.

"Roxas, don't fall asleep, baby, stay awake." Sora climbs into the driver's seat and the engine roars to life. The tires squeal underneath me as he speeds down the streets. My eyes flutter shut; suddenly, they're too heavy to keep open.

"Sora..." I murmur. "Sleepy..."

"Stay awake, Roxas, whatever you do."

I can't, though... sleep sounds so good... It clutches at my mind, and the last thing I hear before blackness takes over my head is Sora crying my name.


	7. Chapter 7: stubborn

I don't have much to say this time, except for I'm sorry, this chapter kinda sucks. I think I suck at writing, but some people out there like it... so if you're one of them, I want you to know that I'm going to try my best to finish this story. I know that I often make their inner babbling too much, but it's just how I write. And I know I suck at describing things and use the same words a lot. Just try to bear with me, please.

Disclaimed, bitches.

Roxas PoV

I've just woken up from the craziest dream. I dreamt that my boyfriend was a vampire, he killed my mother, and we drove back to his house speeding like maniacs because I was dying of blood loss since my mother had beaten the shit out of me.

Insane, right?

I open my eyes, woozily taking in my surroundings. I think I'm in Sora's room, but he's nowhere in sight. At least I know _he_ wasn't a dream.

I try to find a more comfortable position and go to roll over on my left side.

"_Fuck_!" I jerk back in pain, cursing colourful words under my breath. I bite my lip to distract myself from the dull thud of pain that keeps jolting my arm, looking around the large room. "Sora?"

There's no answer, so I assume he must have gone out. I let out a small groan as I get out of his bed, which feels like heaven by the way. It smells sort of spicy, but sweet at the same time. It's indescribably comfortable, too, like lying on a cloud. I wince as I straighten up. _Damn_, it hurts to move. I look down to see my whole left arm wrapped in a blood soaked bandage.

I guess my dream wasn't a dream after all. Great. Just fucking dandy. The sad thing is that I'm only being half sarcastic. Does it make me a bad person to be happy that someone is dead? Whatever.

"Where's my bag?" I mutter to myself. Because, if last night was legit, Sora had it while he dragged me out of my old house. I spot it by the closet and scramble over to it.

I find my cell and see four missed calls and seven texts. They're all from Xion.

I go through all the texts.

_Hey_

_Roxas?_

_Where r u?_

_? answer me, I'm worried... _

_Are you mad at me?_

(1/2) _roxas seriously, whatever, if you're ignoring me be that way, but i wanted to let you know tht i go visit axel everyday and he's been asking for you. And why the hell aren't u at_

(2/2) _school? Theyre talking about u n sora they think he kidnapped u or sumthin stupid like tht. Answer me ASAP. OR ILL HUNT YOU DOWN._

They're all from yesterday. I listen to the calls. They all say the same things as the texts, with quite a few more swears. I sigh and dial her number, waiting as patiently as I can for her to answer. It rings and rings and rings and I'm thinking about hanging up when she finally answers.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's, um, Roxas."

She doesn't say anything, but I can practically feel the phone melting. A picture of her glaring at the phone is crystal clear in my mind. I cringe.

"Uh...you wanted me to call you back," I remind her.

"It's four. In. The. Morning. _What the hell_."

"Um, sorry," I say, knowing full well how much Xion loves her precious beauty sleep.

"Fine, Roxas.

I'm beginning to get impatient. "Well?" I ask, letting just a little of my irritation creep into my voice.

"Well, what?" she demands, exploding angrily. I swear I can see her puffing up like a blowfish. "Where have you_ been_ for the past few days, Roxas?"

"I—"

"You were at school Tuesday and Wednesday then all of a sudden you're not there!"

"Xion—"

"Are you okay? Did Sora kidnap you? Omigod, did you kidnap_ him_? Where the hell are you?" Her voice rises to a panicked scream near then end. I wince and hold the phone away from my ear.

"_Xion_—"

"_I've been worried sick about you_!"

"Xion!" I yell, finally getting her to shut up. "Calm down, okay?" I wait, and when I'm sure she's not gonna freak out on me again, I continue, "I'm fine. No kidnappings."

"Are you sure? 'Cause he could be holding a gun up to your head and forcing you to say that—"

"Xion! Shut _up_! You watch _way _too many movies!" I hear her jaw snap shut. "Sora would never do that, trust me. I just had an incident with my mother and went to his house, because Axel's obviously not home and I don't know where you live!"

"Well, you could have called!"

I feel guilt hit me like a ton of bricks. Damn, she's so right it's not funny. Even if I didn't have my cell, I could have used Sora's. Honestly, it had just completely slipped my mind. Sora has that effect on me.

"I'm sorry," I say. "You're right, I should have called."

"That's okay," she says softly. It's impossible for her to stay mad at someone for long. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"Thanks Xion. Oh," I add, "about Axel, I'll visit him as soon as I can."

"Okie doke, artichoke."

I snort just as Sora walks into the room and flops onto his bed, smiling adorably at me. "Oh, Xion, I gotta go."

"Okay, but if you don't contact me sometime soon I'll find you and then I'll kill you." She says this so seriously that it makes me shiver. I nod, even though she can't see me.

"Okay, promise."

"Bye!"

"See ya." I hang up and stumble over to Sora, getting a small bout of dizziness. Ugh, stupid blood loss. "Man, Xion is _scary_."

Sora chuckles and asks me worriedly, "So how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, mostly, just kinda dizzy." I shrug. "This is going to sound ridiculous, but I had this weird dream, but I think parts of it are true. Some of it may or may not have been my fuzzy mind making stuff up."

He nods cautiously. "Go on."

"So, uh, are you really part vampire, then?"

Sora's eyebrows raise and he laughs quietly. Man, he must think I'm nuts for asking that...

"If this answers your question, I was just out hunting."

...Or not.

"Oh," I mumble.

"Um..." he mutters awkwardly. "You were hoping it was a dream?"

"Nah..." I shrug again, wincing this time. "I thought it was a dream, but I wasn't hoping."

"You still like me, even when you're in your right mind?"

"Pfft...me? Right mind? No way. And of course I still like you." I nearly laugh at him. He thought I wouldn't like him anymore? Clearly, he doesn't understand how I feel about him.

"Good," he breathes. "I would hate it if you didn't like me."

"Well, good thing it won't happen then." I shoot a curious sideways glance at him. "So, what do you hunt?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah."

He seems reluctant, but shrugs, not looking at me. "Mostly deer, sometimes the occasional bear or moose."

"No humans?" I ask, half joking.

"Don't be ridiculous." Sora makes a face that looks as if he's torn between being wistful and disgusted.

"Well, that's good," I say. If what some of us humans made up is true, for vampires, human blood is the equivalent of heroin for a drug addict. Maybe it is. Maybe Sora just has some crazy self control. Even though I can't help but notice the sneaky glances he gives my crimson arm.

"So, your arm," he says suddenly, startling me. "I could heal it if you want. But you might not be comfortable with it."

He tells me this last bit uncomfortably and I ask uncertainly, "How?"

"My...saliva. It can close the wound."

I stare at him as his cheeks turn a deep red. "So, you, like...lick it?"

"Yeah. But," he adds quickly, "if you don't want me to do that I could give you stitches but I'm not really good at that or I could bring you to the hospital but you said no hospitals—"

"Um, sure."

He looks confused and I must admit that my answer wasn't very clear.

"I mean, sure...lick it?" I say it like a question, which makes him grin. Well, it's not my fault we both have dirty minds. Sora scoots closer to me and gently takes my arm. As he begins to unwrap the bandage, I tense up and bite my lip. It _hurts_.

"Relax," he murmurs soothingly and somehow seductively. Wow, what an odd time for him to be like that. I shudder as his fingers ghost over my arm, tiny pinpricks of mixed pain and pleasure tingling through my skin. How does he_ do_ that? How can he make_ anything_ sexy? It's ridiculous! He bundles the blood soaked bandages into a ball and throws it aside. We both stare at the bloody mess that is my arm.

"Wow," he mutters, letting out a low whistle. "You bled. A lot."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," I say, rolling my eyes, moaning quietly as I flex my stiff arm.

"Kay, you ready?"

I bite my lip, stifling a giggle like the immature freak I am. Imagine someone standing outside the door... if they'd heard that, after my moan... Imagine what they'd be thinking.

I realize Sora is staring at me, amused. Right... he's probably waiting for an answer.

"Um, will it hurt at all?" I ask, shaking my head to clear my thoughts.

"No," he purrs, looking up at me through thick lashes. It makes me wonder what he's thinking. "Just calm down, it'll be perfectly fine."

I lean back on the soft pillows and do my best to keep my arm from tensing up. He decides to be a freaking meanie and strokes my stomach, making all of my hard work of unclenching my arm muscles go down the drain.

"Sora," I complain.

That bastard. He looks at his travelling south fingers as though he's surprised. "My bad," he says mildly, but doesn't stop.

"How am I supposed to relax while you do that!" I snap as he plays with the zipper of the jeans he'd lent me.

"Fine," he mutters, grinning wickedly. He stops and brings his mouth to my arm. As he runs his tongue along the cut, a look of complete bliss passes over his face. A funny butterfly feeling happens in my stomach and my cheeks heat up.

When he's done, he practically tears himself away from my arm. He looks at it lustfully, then his eyes go up to my face, but I'm busy staring at my cut. It's healing as I watch it, the skin scabbing over and heeling in fast motion. Soon, all that's left is a bright red mark and some blood along my forearm. I swear Sora's drooling.

I get the feeling he likes my blood. A lot.

"Thanks," I say.

"Anytime." He looks like he means it. Hmmm...

"Did you like it?" I ask bluntly.

He looks startled. "Huh?"

"My blood...?"

"No," he answers immediately, but I can tell it's not the truth. He sucks at lying. Like, really bad.

"Sora," I say very seriously.

"Roxy." He keeps his head down, looking adorable.

I blush at the nickname. Somehow, it's different when he says it. He keeps eyeballing my blood sneakily (or not) through his chocolate. For a vampire, he's not very stealthy. I want to see that look he'd had on his face earlier again. So, being the complete, stubborn idiot I am, "I blurt out, "Bite me."

"No." But I can tell he wants to, really wants to from the looks of it. He shifts away from me.

"Bite me," I insist. Yeah, pathetic, I know, but I now have this thing for seeing his 'bliss' face. That was probably the hottest thing I'd ever seen in my life. I've only seen it once, and I want to see it again, longer. More.

"I—I can't." He sets his jaw determinately. "Roxas, it's just not a good idea."

"Why?" I purr. It's funny how I know just what to do to turn him on. He squirms, flushing lightly and proving my point.

"I might hurt you."

I immediately dismiss this. "No way, I trust you with my life."

Sora seems not to hear me, staring past me to the wall behind. I can see his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallows nervously.

"Sora, you just came back from hunting, yeah?" He nods reluctantly. "So, you can control yourself better! C'mon, I know you won't hurt me." I finger the edge of my shirt suggestively. I know I'm being a tease, but it's not like he's any better. I shudder pleasurably at the memory of the hallway incident.

Sora's expression reminds me of a crumbling wall.

Damn stubborn vampire. It occurs to me that he might _actually_, accidentally hurt me, but I tell the little voice to shut up. I scoot closer to him and murmur as sexily as I can manage, "Sora, bite me."

"No."

Frustration surges through me. He has to be the only person I've ever met who's as stubborn as I am. I'm not backing down, and I know he's not giving up easily. Good thing I'll do _anything_ to win.

I resort to force and put myself on his lap, so that I'm straddling his waist. I can feel him, and he's hardening already. My lips curl up into a mischievous smirk as I get close enough so that our noses are touching. Sora's cheeks turn bright red and he breathes, "What are you doing, Roxas?"

"Mmmm..." I brush our lips together, running my finger nails down his neck. I remember something about that time in the hallway...how bad he's wanted me. How he'd kept pushing and I'd almost, _almost_ given in. My turn now. "Bite me, and I'll let you fuck me."

Sora breaks away with a gasp. "Seriously?"

"Would I joke about that?" I ask, grinning as his hands move down to the edge of my shirt.

"No, I guess not, but...aren't you all...sore?"

"Nah," I say.

He cups my ass, sending a small shiver through my body. I moan loudly and on purpose, knowing it'd turn him on. It seems to work, because I feel him shudder as he whispers, "Aren't you tired?"

I shake my head and kiss him again.

"Roxas..." he moans, practically melting under me and obviously losing his self control. Just a little more...

...Yeah, I know. What a shitty place to end a chapter, right? I'm sorry... I just wanted to do the bite from Sora's PoV! Btw: Next chapter is rated M, definitely.


	8. Chapter 8: the bite

Jeeze, I got a lotta crap from that cliffhanger last chap... soooo sorry peoples. ^^' This would have been up earlier but my stupid friend deleted it and I had to retype it...yeah, he's an asshole. Sorry once again.

So, it's in this chapter that the rating M is necessary. There is no actual sex (yet ;D) but still. If you're not into that, I really have no idea why you're reading my story...

Anyway! Here is what you've all been presumably waiting for! xD (Please excuse my random paranoia about this chapter._. I'm very self-conscious about it. (Does that even make sense?) xD)

Sora PoV

Right now, I'm actually wondering if Roxas is crazy.

He goes on feeling me up, and it's working, because I'm seriously beginning to crack. I can't let myself—but it's so hard... what on earth has possessed him to make him want me to bite him? The dumbest thing is that he's not even coming off as desperate. Not at all. Just fucking sexy and hard to resist...really hard to resist.

"No, c'mon, Roxas, don't do this..." I groan half heartedly, even though I really, really want his blood and I desperately want him to touch me. On one side, he's right; I did just get back from hunting, so I'm not thirsty. But on the other hand, from that small thought I'd like, faint or something. So who knows how I'll react if I actually bite him?

Roxas uses my open mouth to his advantage and slips his tongue in. And _fuck_, he tastes so good... surely it's okay if we just make out hardcore, right? As long as I don't let him distract me enough so that I break and bite him. So I let him push me back until I'm lying on the mattress and he's right on top of me, still kissing me hungrily. I finally respond by wrapping my arms around him and pulling him further down. I feel his crotch against mine and try to jerk my hips, but quick as lightning one of his hands is there, pushing me back down.

"Roxas..." I groan in protest. "Come _on_..."

"Hmmmm..." he purrs into my ear, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine. He starts to get up. "Nope. If you're not going to bite me, I'm not going to touch you."

_What? _I gape at him. "Are you—serious?"

"Yeah." He looks at his nails boredly. _That little..._

"If I promise to bite you, will you get your ass back here and finish what you started?" I point angrily between my legs. Roxas smirks and nods. "Fine. I'll bite you." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. "Now come _here_."

That sexy, sexy Cheshire grin is on his face again as he crawls back on top of me. "You want me that bad?" he says, his voice a low, seductive purr. I groan. _Hell yes I want you. I want to flip you over and fuck you into the mattress and not even give a flying shit when the whole neighbourhood hears you screaming. _I don't trust my voice enough to say that, though, so I just nod and moan desperately, arching against him. Shit, I've never been this desperate for anything in my fucking life!

"Did you know your fangs are out?" he asks me, sounding like he wants to laugh. I groan in frustration.

"Roxas—"

"Settle your kettle, mister," he sighs, but he's grinning. I almost laugh at what he'd said. Then he leans back down and kisses me again and all of my thoughts disappear. He's right, my fangs are out, and he twirls his tongue around them. It feels so good that I moan louder than ever before and grind against him, desperate for some friction. This time he lets me. I swear my eyes roll back.

"S-Sooraa-aa..." His voice is a throaty moan from above me. I force my eyes to stay focused on him. His cheeks are all flushed and his eyelids are fluttering and it's so arousing that I almost rape his fucking sexy ass, no foreplay.

"Th-this—off," he orders, pulling at my shirt. I sit up slightly and practically rip it off before _actually_ tearing Roxas'. He snickers and pushes me back down, his mouth traveling down my neck. Hell, I didn't know it was possible to be this freaking horny!

We've already been making out for a while when I feel fingers on my hips, brushing underneath my jeans. A few seconds later my pants are gone and I'm sitting there in just my underwear. Roxas looks at my boxers.

"You are fucking nuts," he says, his voice shaky and out of breath.

"What?" I ask defensively, equally breathless. "Why?"

"First, you give me boxers with hearts, and now, you're wearing boxers with cute little shadow things on them. Where the heck do you find this stuff?"

"Uh...I don't know...?" Well, if I wasn't drowning in lust, I'd probably know, but I can't remember at the moment. Roxas rolls his eyes.

"You have such a one track mind."

"Hey! Don't try to tell me you're not horny too! I'm not the only one with a fucking boner!" I point at him accusingly. "You're the one who wants me to bite you so fucking bad! I'm sorry, but can we talk about boxers _after_—" I guess he decided that I was talking too much, because the next thing I know his lips are crushing mine, effectively cutting my rambling short.

He moves his mouth down my neck and chest and back up, kissing every inch of my heated skin. I feel so hot that I'm surprised the bed isn't on fire. I get absolutely no warning before my boxers are down and his fingers are wrapped around me, stroking me hard and fast.

"Fuck!" I moan, arching high off the bed. My breathing goes all weird, and I try to calm it down, but I can't focus on it. I'm getting dizzy from the lack of proper oxygen and the amount of friction—it shouldn't be possible to feel this good. He drags the tip of his tongue up my neck and across my lips and I swear I'm going to go nuts. "Roxas..."

His hand just goes faster and I can't help the moan that's almost a scream that escapes me. He eagerly swallows it before thrusting his tongue into my mouth, rubbing it sensually against mine. It feels like there's lava bubbling in the pit of my stomach and it's so _hot_... The sensations going on in my body are just too much—and then when his other hand moves up to pinch at my nipples—I snap. I cry out his name and cum harder than I ever have. My body explodes into white hot pleasure and I barely feel Roxas smirk against my open mouth as he continues to lick every inch of the inside of my mouth. When I come down from my high—holy hell, that was the most fricking intense thing ever—I blush. My GOD, that actually just happened. There's sticky evidence on my stomach.

"Ehhh..." I breathe, staring at it, after Roxas pulls away. "Eww..."

Roxas laughs and wipes at my stomach with a sheet. Then he licks his fingers._ Actually licks his fingers_. I gape at him as he meets my eyes "You're sexy when you cum," he informs me, a sly smirk on his face. I blush harder and murmur a 'thanks', looking away. God, what's wrong with me? I'm never this shy.

"Hey," he says softly, tapping my chin and forcing me to look at him. "Don't be embarrassed. It's going to happen a lot in the future." He says this last sentence with a quirky little wink and I feel a little excitement build up in my stomach. I nod quickly, returning his reassuring smile with a tiny 'I'm an idiot' one. Roxas's eyes narrow slightly and he gets that hot as hell mischievous look on his face again. "So..." he purrs, his eyes trailing over my body (which is still naked, by the way), "how 'bout that bite?" His lips meet mine softly and turn my brain into goo momentarily.

Right... I guess I'd sort of forgotten about that, but I sort of owe it to him. I mean, I promised, and I hate breaking promises. So, with a fierceness that even surprises me, I tear my lips away from his and bring them to his neck, searching for that big vein...where is it...? ..._There_. I kiss his skin softly, warning him. All he does is make a desperate whine. Before I can convince myself to stop, I sink my teeth into his neck.

We both moan as the thick and delicious liquid bursts into my mouth. I can't even begin to describe how it tastes—it's so rich and it's the best thing in the world—all I can think of to describe it is 'complete heaven'. It flows down my throat, and I can feel it travelling through my veins, and it feels so good...so perfect.

I almost get lost in the taste and the feeling, but I force myself to hold on to a small sliver of reality, because I can't risk hurting Roxas. But his moans of pleasure are not helping in the least. I've never been bitten by someone I love (obviously) but I know how it's supposed to be: complete ecstasy. The feeling of being so intimate with the person you love is like letting them feel your soul. I can feel him filling me, and I know he can feel the bliss I taste.

I look up at Roxas to see his beautiful eyes staring back at me, heavy lidded with want and lust. His lips are even trembling and it's so perfect and he's so beautiful...I love him so _much_... I begin to make little lapping motions with my tongue, picking up little droplets that escape my mouth. He whines and pulls me down, his fingers tangling in my hair and legs wrapping around my waist, holding me in place.

_Damn, _I think, _where's my self-control? _I have to stop before I hurt him...but I don't want to...he tastes so _good_... Through my haze filled mind a voice that sounds like Roxas' says, _Stop now, or you'll regret it._

But I can't...

_Do it now!_

No...

_NOW!_

With a gasp I tear myself away from him the bloodhigh making my head all fuzzy.

Roxas mewls in protest and scratches his nails against my back, trying weakly to bring me back down. "Wh-why...are you s-stopping?"

"I don't want to risk taking too much blood," I respond, my breathing just as heavy as his. I look down at his pale, crimson-stained neck and almost forget about hurting him and drink his blood again. I force my eyes away from it, making myself be satisfied with the amount I'd gotten. But damn, I think I'm addicted to it.

"Okay," Roxas says, trying to take a deep breath in an attempt to catch his breath. But it mostly just gets inhaled as a shaky breath of air and a harsh exhale. "But you remember, I said you could—we could have sex—"

"Yes, and we will, just calm down. I put my hands on his smooth chest to find his heart beating fast. Like, really fast. It sort of worries me. He closes his eyes, murmuring something that I can't make out.

His incoherent speech gets louder and more understandable until he finally moans, "Fuck, Sora, please!" He jerks his hips down onto mine harshly, making my breath hitch in sudden arousal again.

"H-hey," I protest weakly. "You sh-should wait...'til you're..."

"Noo... I can't..." His cheeks are all flushed again and it's so cute that I swear my self control is going to suffer permanent damage from this day. "Please, _Sora_, I _need_ you in me."

You know what? Fuck self control. I push him onto his back a practically pounce on top of him, kissing him so hard I swear our lips are going to be black and blue tomorrow. His moan is half muffled but it's still so hot that I just have to touch him all over.

"God, S-Soraa..." he whispers as I go under his shirt and brush my hands over his nipples. His hips roll up into mine and I hiss at the contact. I mean, I'm still naked, and he's not. This is a problem for me, so decide to remove his clothes now. Roxas lets out another utterly gorgeous moan at the skin on skin contact and I just lose myself, smothering every inch of him in wet, open-mouthed kisses as I work on his pants. I can feel his precum through his boxers. Fingers tug in my hair and I let him move my head back up to his. Before slipping my tongue past his lips I cat a glimpse of his facial expression, and it's one of such pleasure that shudders go down my spine. _God_, he's gorgeous and I just decided that I love the way he looks when he's writhing in pleasure underneath me, on my bed, panting my name.

I tap three fingers against his bottom lip. "Suck," I say breathlessly, waiting for his reaction. He slowly, uncertainly opens his mouth and twirls his tongue around them, his half lidded eyes watching me curiously. I moan low in my throat, so quietly it's almost a growl. That tongue...is fucking amazing. I take my fingers from his mouth before I lose my head and just sit there all night with him sucking on them and move them around his body, hovering above his entrance. I lean down to kiss him when he gasps, "Wait!"

"What?" I sit back, my eyes wide and alarmed. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeahh...I just got...a dizzy spell, hold on..."

"Are you sure?" I demand, forgetting about everything else at the twinge of pain in his voice. He tries to nod but instead ends up making a face of discomfort. My heart drops into the pit of my stomach.

"I knew it," I whisper frantically. "I knew it, I knew it, I _knew_ it, biting you was a bad idea! You'd already lost so much blood..."

"It was worth it," he mumbles, but I won't have any of that. I stand up, shoving my legs into a pair of boxers and sweats and throwing some at him, too.

"Nothing was worth this! I did this to you... and hell, one day I might do it again and you'll die and it'll be _my fault_!" I babble.

"Sora—"

"And you're in pain! Hell, I _suck_!"

"_Sora_—"

"I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Sora, shut the fuck up!" He gets up unsteadily and slaps me across the face, hard.

The sting of it snaps me out of my babbling. "Ow," I say, sort of shocked. "You slapped me!"

"Well, you deserved it!" he exclaims.

I think about that. "I guess I kinda did, didn't I?" I mutter after a short hesitation. "Sorry."

Roxas is glaring at me, and it's pretty damn scary, even though he has to hold onto my shoulders to support himself. "It's not your fault. I knew how weak I was in the first place and I still forced you to bite me."

"So...you don't hate me, right?"

He rolls his eyes. "I can't hate you! How could you even say that? You're the best person I've ever met, and I don't care if some part of you is greedy and lusts for blood—because deep down, we all do." His tone softens and he mutters something, but even with my super hearing I don't catch it.

"But, I shouldn't have given in..." I protest, even though I know he'd won the argument. I just...feel so bad for hurting him. It hurts me.

"Well, I'm just too damn sexy aren't I?" He grins, the dizziness seeming to leave. "Like I said before, I'll never hate you. You're stuck with me, Sora." He says this last part a bit smugly.

I bite my lip, trying to fight the goofy smile I feel coming. "That's a scary thought," I manage.

He punches me in the arm, not lightly. "Shut up."

"What were you muttering earlier?" I ask. He looks blank and much to my happiness, not dizzy at all. I sigh. "You were just mumbling something, I was wondering what it was."

"Oh, that," he says, laughing a little nervously. "I'll tell you later," he promises with a wink.

"But..."

"Shut up, Sora."

"Jeeze. Is that your new catchphrase? You've said it like a gazillion times."

"Yeah, I like it." He yawns suddenly and I feel like a terrible person all over again. I doubt he's had any sleep in the last twelve hours, besides that time earlier where he'd been passed out. That doesn't count.

Guiltily I say, "You should sleep."

"So...I guess we'll finish what we were doing later?"

"Yeah..." I mutter, smiling like an idiot,

He laughs. "What room can I use?"

"You can choose any of them to be yours, but..."

"What?"

"Do you want to sleep in here?" I blurt before I can chicken out. "I know it's going to be day soon, but I'll sleep with you. Er, I mean, _actually_ sleep, y'know? It's a king, so we have enough room for no contact, if you want..."

Roxas grins slyly at my stammering. "Sure," he laughs. "I'll sleep with you."

I blush. He laughs some more, and I blush even harder. "D-do you want PJ's, or did y-you bring some from your house—?" I stutter out. Damn, I hate it when I stutter. I'm such a moron.

"Who needs PJ's? We've got these boxers and sweats."

"Y-yeah, okay."

We both slip under the covers. The only light in the room comes from above us, my window casting a big square of silvery light on us. The bed shakes, then Roxas is right in front of me, his face not one inch from mine.

"Thank you," he says softly before kissing me just as softly.

"For...?" I ask, confused.

"My mom, letting me live here...everything. It's more than anyone has ever done for me. Thank you."

A weird little warm and fuzzy feeling happens in my stomach. "You're welcome."

"Also...I'm going to kill you or something if you don't fuck me soon, I swear."

I laugh. "Alright."

He doesn't answer. I look at him to find out he'd fallen asleep.

He looks so peaceful and perfect, like an angel. His snowy white skin seems to glow in the moonlight and his hair glints as though there were a bunch of mini diamonds weaved through it. His expression is one of total serenity. I feel oddly choked up. I have never seen anything so wordlessly beautiful in my life.

I smile and drift off to sleep with my angel in my arms.


	9. Chapter 9: back to school

**Author's notes: **alright, so finally I'm posting this. I'm not dead, I swear. In case any of you care, neither is my grandpa...yet. Things are looking a little bit better for him but he's still not doing too good...so I'll update as fast as I can even with the stress. THANK YOU SO MUCH to everybody who commented on my author's notes about this, it meant the world to me that you guys actually CARED and weren't bitching me out. Thank you, thank you, and I love you all. Now this may sound silly but I'm going to dedicate this chapter to you _all_ (especially Trissalle and YouCrackMeLikeAnEgg ^-^) even though I'm not too impressed with how it turned out...meh. Sorry for the long author's notes and enjoy (or not) chapter nine! Also: last chapter happened on a Thursday, and it is Monday now.

Sora PoV

(Three days later)

"Can you drive faster? I've met eighty year olds who drive faster than you do."

Sora rolls his sapphire eyes at my complaints and steps on the gas, throwing me against the seat. "You afraid of being late, angel?"

That nickname...he'd randomly started calling me that after he bit me. It makes me smile every time, and it doesn't hurt that it reminds me of the bite, either. God...that had been awesome, we'd been so_ close_...

"No," I reply, making my thoughts shut up. "I just...I don't know, I guess I just want to get today over with so we can go see Axel." We'd made plans with Xion over the phone to see him after school today. I'm pretty excited. Actually, I can't sit still.

He makes a face that looks like an odd mixture between wariness and excitement. He just shrugs and hums his agreement.

"...awkward..." he mumbles as we pull into the parking lot.

"Eh?" I ask blankly.

"I said, it's gonna be awkward for me."

"Why?" I ask as we walk up the steps to the front entrance along with a bunch of other people. I notice they'd finished repairing the burnt part of the school. Good, no more classes in the rain.

"Well, I don't know him all that well...and what if he feels guilty about almost killing us? That would be so awkward..."

I snort. Axel feeling guilty about something? Yeah, and I'm planning on wearing a pink tutu to school tomorrow. "It'll be fine," I assure him, rolling my eyes. "He likes you, he even thinks you're hot. Xion likes you too, she told me you were pretty cool."

He laughs, but I can see the relief in his eyes and I'm glad I made him feel better. I guess that even when you're pretty much immortal, rejection can be pretty scary.

"I thought Axel was straight," Sora says with a crooked smile.

"So did I...he said it's called being bisexual."

"Hmm." We stop at our lockers. People whisper things about kidnappings and stupid, impossible stuff like that and stare at us, but we ignore them. Really, it's just stupid. "Oh, second semester starts today," Sora's voice cuts through the buzzing and murmuring around us. I look up to see him searching frustratedly through his cluttered locker for a schedule. After a few moments of frantic looking, he gives up and asks me, "What the hell do we have first?"

"Monday..." I muse, taking my schedule out from a pocket on my backpack. "We have biology...Fuck my life. We have math last class." Again? We had that last semester! I hate math... It makes no fucking sense.

Sora's face darkens. "Biology."

"Yeah, and?"

"Vexen." His blue eyes darken, too. It makes him look sort of evil. "That guy fucking _hates_ me, I swear. It's stupid, 'cause he's never even talked to me. I mean, really, every time I walk by him, he glares at me like I'm...like I'm the freaking_ devil_ about to _rape_ him or something! It's weird, and gross, now that I think about it—"

"Sora." I cut him off with a sigh. "Vexen hates everybody except for Zexion, because Zexion's a genius. He hates me too, so don't worry about it. You get used to it."

"Well," Sora says stubbornly, sticking his nose up, "I hate him too. So whatever."

I'm just about to answer him when something slams into me, making me drop my textbooks and fall flat on my ass, cursing the whole way down.

"ROXAS!" a girl's voice screams into my ear, making my eyes go cross-eyed in pain for a moment. I spit out some black hair and look at what I'd mistaken for a bus.

"Xion!" I exclaim, blinking rapidly to get rid of the ringing in my ears.

"I missed you I missed you I missed you—"

By now Sora is giggling, and the few people lingering around before class are staring and looking like they want to call the local asylum. I spot Demyx and Zexion chilling in a corner. Demyx, that idiot, is in tears from laughing so hard and Zexion is wearing a very faint smile, which is so rare I just stare. Hehe, rare, stare...that rhymed. I shake my head to clear stupid thoughts and look back at Xion, who looks like a puppy. I can picture a wagging tail and everything.

"I missed you too, Xion, now will you get off me?" I laugh as the warning bell bell rings and the halls empty. Great, I'm gonna be late on my first day back...just fucking dandy.

Xion gets off of me excitedly and throws her arms around Sora, who looks so shocked it's funny. His mouth is all like 'huuh?' and his eyes are like saucers. He awkwardly pats her back.

"You took good care of Roxie, right?" she asks him, taking his cheeks in the palms of her hands and looking at him very seriously, as though it were a life or death question.

He manages to grin, but it looks demented, because his cheeks are all smooshed up. He shoots a look at me that makes me blush. "I took _very_ good care of Roxas, don't worry, Xion."

Demyx pops up beside Sora with a silly grin on his face. Sora makes a 'gah!' sound and jumps as Demyx elbows Zexion in the ribs and says in a sing-song voice, "Ooooh, Roxas has a _boyfriend_!"

I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off and die, but I close it when everyone chuckles at what I'm sure is my pissed off face. I sigh and shake my head warily. Sora doesn't blush, but much to my dismay and humiliation, grabs my hand and hauls me up from where I'm still sitting on the floor, and gives me a hard kiss that makes my head spin, right there in front of everyone. My cheeks flame at the whistles (mostly from Demyx) and I pull away, hiding behind my bangs.

"Gotta problem?" Sora asks Demyx in a jokingly angry tone. What a cocky child. I punch him in the stomach.

Demyx bursts into another fit of giggles and jumps up and down like a little girl. Sora stares at him, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. Zexion sighs at his boyfriend's typical hyperactiveness.

"He's like this all the time," he says, taking Demyx' guitar and bopping him upside the head with it, all in that unnervingly calm way of his.

Demyx wails dramatically. "Mah hair, dahin'! WAAAAHH!" Then he tackles a giggling (giggling!) Zexion into a huge bear hug and tickles his sides like there's no tomorrow.

"I'm not the only one with a boyfriend, idiot," I say, nudging them with my toe. "How're you guys doing?"

Demyx giggles some more (seriously, who fed him sugar for breakfast?) and like the ball of joy he is, loops and arm around Zexion's waist and squeezes so hard Zexion's eyes seem to be bugging out. Zexion doesn't do much, he just tries to catch his breath and leans his head on Demyx' shoulder. Or, at least, he tries; he's a lot shorter than Demyx. They make me think about that 'opposites attract' saying, because while Demyx is like ADHD kid on crack, Zexion is the most quiet and reserved person I've ever seen or heard of. He never really shows any emotion except for around us; and even then, it's rare.

"We'regreat!" Demyx says super quickly, grinning like an idiot, and so perkily I can imagine a zillion exclamation points at the end of his sentence. His grin is so contagious I can't help but smile too.

_DIIIIIING!_

"Crap, that was the late bell! Gotta go, byeeeeeeeeeee!" Xion squeals, running off after throwing Sora and I a huge grin. As the squeaking sound of her ratty Converse echoes down the hallway, I realize just how much I'd missed her.

"What do you two have?" Demyx demands of Sora and me in a booming voice, at pointing at us dramatically, as though he's some king and we're peasants he's questioning.

At the same time, we reply, "Biology."

Zexion smiles faintly, clutching whatever book he's reading now to his chest. "Me too."

"I have band and drama!" Demyx practically yells. Okay, I swear, I love this guy but he's so annoying I sometimes want to kill him. Said annoying guitarist gives Zexion a very (VERY) passionate, tongue flashing, saliva swapping, R rated kiss before running off like a crazy person.

Zexion blows his bangs up, his cheeks a deep rosy color. He pulls the hood of his black hoodie and murmurs, "C'mon, before he realizes he forgot his guitar on the ground and sexually assaults me again."

"It's not sexual assault if you liked it," Sora says when his back is turned.

"Oh, shut it," Zexion says, stomping away with a tiny smirk on his face.

I grin at Sora behind Zexion's back and he smiles back. Then, we run to class like bats out of hell. We are hopelessly late and professor Vexen is probably going to shit a cow on us.

When we get into the class, Vexen is scribbling notes on the whiteboard. He turns around to greet us with a seer. "Ah, Roxas and...Sora, is it? You decide to grace us with your presence, finally. Hurray," he finishes, clapping sarcastically. Someone in the class snickers, barely audibly, but I've always had good hearing so I spot the source of the voice and shoot that person a death glare. He shrinks back into his chair. Yeah, that's right; be scared of Roxas. He'll sic his vampire boyfriend on ya, while watching the show with a bowl of popcorn. Man, I'm such a bitch.

I choose a spot near the back and Sora plops down next to me. "This is going to be a long day," he mutters, giving Vexen the finger when his back is to us.

"You can say that again," I huff, glaring at Vexen's back. I hate this goddamn teacher's icy personality and need to tease every person he looks at. He's such an ass. One time, at an assembly last year, he'd made a rather rude comment about Axel's pyromania. Axel had punched him in the face so hard his nose had been crushed and he'd needed to be rushed to the hospital. It had made my day. I feel a twinge of sadness. I miss that idiot.

Sora sighs, bringing me back to the present. "This is going to be—"

"Shut up, Sora."

He closes his mouth, smiling faintly.

The rest of the day is so boring, uneventful and long that I begin to think I should've stayed home today...or maybe this whole week. Sora looks to be thinking along the same lines; his hair is so messy from running his hands through it that it's affecting the person in our class sitting behind him. The school slut, Larxene, has to stop showing her nonexistent cleavage to Marluxia and sit up straight to see the board. Marluxia looks relieved, and I can't blame him. Who wants to be flirted with someone who looks like a bug?

Today is so pathetic, that's the most interesting thing that has happened so far.

In math, the class I'd been dreading the most, I sit with Sora, Zexion and Xion. I'm starting to fall asleep a little when Sora begins scribbling on a scrap of paper, which he shoves at me when the teacher's back is turned.

_Look at the door_, it says in his messy print. I look up at him, puzzled. He purses his lips and jerks his head towards the door. I follow his direction and sigh, laughing underneath my breath. Demyx is staring at us through the small window on the door, mouthing some words. I can't tell what they are, though, because he _really_ sucks at mouthing words. He keeps pointing at the handle.

"I think he wants us to open it," Sora murmurs.

Zexion, sitting on my other side, looks up from his math equation. "What—oh, Demyx," he says, because that explains everything.

"I'll open it," Xion says, standing up.

Demyx shakes his head and mouths, "Unlock."

"Okay, so I'll unlock it," she says exasperatedly. She passes the door to go to the pencil sharpener, twisting the lock on the way.

"Hurry up," says the math teacher, not looking up from the knitting magazine she's reading.

"Yes ma'am," Xion replies sarcastically, mumbling something no doubt insulting under her breath. She finishes sharpening her pencil and returns to her seat. When we look at the door, Demyx is no longer there.

Zexion sighs and mumbles, "What the hell what the point of _that_?"

I shake my head. Honestly, I'd never understand what was going through Demyx' head. Maybe he got caught by the hall monitor or a teacher or something. Everyone goes back to their math, but I don't understand math, so I go kind of slowly. I mean, why the hell do we need to know how to find te square root of a triangle? I don't even know if that's possible. It's probably not even what I'm supposed to be doing, here. I huff and slam my pencil down.

Sora loos over at my notebook and says, "You're doing it wrong, angel."

"Well, then, how do I do it?" I ask, frustrated.

Sora leans over to explain it when the door swings open and a low thrum fills the room. That sounds an awful lot like a guitar...

"Demyx!" Ms. Whatever screams just as Demyx runs into the classroom. He grins at the class, which cheers as though he were Slash* and not some gangly high school student. He runs around the room, escaping Ms. Whatever's meaty clutches, playing a long guitar solo, which sounds really good, considering the circumstances. Even Zexion is smiling at this point. Demyx has such a weird personality that you just can't _not_ smile around him, no matter what he's doing.

Still running around like a chicken with his head cut off, Demyx finishes his song. The class bursts into applause.

"Thank you!" he cries dramatically, bowing and throwing imaginary roses to the class. One girl pretends to catch one and makes a swooning action, falling into her friend's arms. Demyx winks at her before getting up on Zexion's desk and saying matter-of-factly, "So, I figured you guys would want a break from this boring shit." He rolls his eyes as Ms. Whatever growls warningly. "And," he continues, giving us a million watt smile, "I just wanted to say hi to my Zexion, so hey babe!"

Zexion groans and sinks down into his chair as the class snickers and ooohs. As you can see, we don't have much of a problem with homosexuality here. Usually Axel beats the shit out of anyone who makes fun of people who have a handicap or are gay or anything like that. Demyx gracefully leans down to kiss Zexion on the lips, much like he had earlier, before smiling at the class once more and running from the class. He gives Ms. Whatever the finger on the way out.

The class, which had already been loud, erupts into cheers at that last action. Ms. Whatever looks about ready to blow a brain circuit.

Finally, Zexion says stonily, "Oh, my god. Remind me why I date him."

Somehow the class is able to hear him through all the noise. Everyone snickers. Ms. Whatever throws her hands up in exasperation.

_DIIIIIING!_

The class becomes a freaking hurricane of activity. Ms. Whatever storms out. I have a good feeling that we won't be seeing her again.

As the room empties and I finish stuffing my stuff into my bag, Xion turns to me and asks excitedly, "Can we go see Axel now?"

"Yeah," I say, smiling at her excitement. Sora and I follow her out into the hallway, where she zips right through without even stopping at her locker.

"Wait, Xion!" I call after her. She turns around irritably and gestures for us to hurry up. Sora laughs as I throw my stuff into his locker (I can't remember my combo).

"Man, I love your friends, they are fricking hilarious. Especially Demyx, I mean...wow."

"I know," I agree. "You should see him when he's actually had caffeine or sugar. It's scary."

We go to hurry after Xion, but a hand on my shoulder blade stops me. I wince; that spot has always been sensitive, for some reason. I look back and see Demyx, Zexion and Xion's friends Kairi and Naminé. They're pretty cool, I hues, but Kairi's kind of giggly and annoying. (A/N: Sorry...I just hate Kairi ^^')

"Can we come visit him too?" the blonde, Naminé, asks timidly.

"Of course!" Xion says as I nod my head.

"I don't have enough room in my car...do one of you guys have one?" Sora asks.

Demyx grins. "I have a truck. Meet you there!" Then he runs of like the maniac he is. Zexion sighs and follows, like usual. Naminé and Kairi smile at us and chase after them.

"Aaaaaalrighty," Sora says randomly. "Let's go, you tow will have to give me directions."

In his car, Xion sits in the back seat, so excited she's bouncing and shaking the whole vehicle.

"Are you gonna tell him?" I ask her as Sora puts the car into gear and pulls out of the parking lot.

She ceases her excited bopping and stares at me like I'm nuts. "Tell who what?"

"Take a left," I tell Sora, before telling Xion, "Tell Axel that you like him!"

She blushes. "I don't think so!"

Sora raises his eyebrows and voices what I'm thinking. "Why not?"

She looks out the rear window, where a huge blue Ford is tailing us. The blond driver is bouncing to some music. Zexion is curled up in the passenger seat, reading what seems to be a manga. In the very back I can see Naminé and Kairi singing along with the music.

After a long silence, Xion just says, "Well, they think he's not good enough for me."

"Who's 'they'?" Sora asks.

"...Nami and Kairi..."

"They can go to hell," Sora says, startling both Xion and me. "I'm sorry, I know they're your friends, but who you choose to like is your decision, not theirs. No one should judge you about it. If you want to tell Axel you like him, tell Axel you like him."

Xion looks close to tears, happy tears. I add this moment to the long list of reasons why I love Sora and why he's the greatest boyfriend to walk this planet.

"But what if...what if he doesn't like me back?" she asks softly. She doesn't want to ruin their friendship, I can tell. I totally understand. If for whatever reason I couldn't be with Sora, I'd still want to be his friend, even if I could never have him. Sora makes a musing face and searches for a response. Suddenly a memory pops into my head. I don't know why I'm remembering it now, but it's really convenient.

"Xion," I find myself saying, "remember before the fire, when Naminé dared you to kiss me?"

"Yeah...?"

"Well, Axel called me a lucky bastard and said he was jealous. I think that's why he kissed me then. He was probably thinking that since I kissed you, if he kissed me, his lips would somehow have touched yours."

There's a silence again, longer than the first one. It's only broken by me telling Sora directions.

"Are you serious?" Xion asks, sounding shocked.

"Yeah, I am."

She doesn't answer but I can practically feel the heat of her smile.

**Author's notes: **sorry, I forgot to say this up there, but I made a few tiny changes to chapter seven. They're so miniscule probably no one will notice them, but I just figured I'd mention it... Kay. Review, goddamnit.


	10. Chapter 10: well THAT was unexpected

**Author's notes: **k so...well, I'm not really exactly sure on how this site works yet...so um, if you didn't read chapter nine, please do. I say this only because I replaced my author's notes with the _actual_ chapter nine and I don`t know if that shows up or not...arrrg I feel so dumb...sooorry...

Roxas PoV

"Yes, sir, we want to visit Axel," I say for the third fucking time to the cop sitting at the front desk. I really, really want to take his head and smash it against the hard oak, but I have to physically restrain myself by digging my nails into my palms. _God, can he get any _stupider_?_

"All of you?" he asks dumbly, his mouth covered with icing from a donut. It's so stereotypical that it makes my head pound. I sigh. This is going nowhere fast. For ten minutes, _ten whole fucking minutes_, we've been reciting the same thing, like lines in a play. The most stupid play ever. Get. It. Straight—we want to visit Axel! Xion and Demyx are pretty much bouncing off the walls. Naminé and Kairi are looking at the missing persons list, keeping safely away from my restless friends. Sora and Zexion are on either side of me, trying to help this stupid, fat ass cop that we want to visit Axel. As you can tell, it's not going too well. I honestly think he has mental problems, or something, but _damn_ he's a moron.

I look desperately at them for help. Sora looks ready to kill this idiot. I feel the same way. Just plain fucking homicidal.

"Are you fucking stoned or something, dude?" demyx asks from behind us. The cop stares at him with what I suppose is supposed to be a stern look, but instead he just looks constipated.

Zexion puts his hands on the desk and stares coolly at the cop. His voice is frighteningly calm and he pronounces each word very carefully as he says, "We want to visit our friend. He was put in here about a week ago."

The cop looks kinda scared, and I guess I can't blame him. I mean, Zexion is_ scary_, with those slate eyes covering half his face and one icy, eyeliner lined violet eye visible. He stares at the cop coolly, like a ghost, until the man finally decides that it would be acceptable if we see Axel.

"Only three at a time," he says.

Zexion grabs Demyx, who'd been about to bolt past Officer Fatty, by the wrist and says, "Roxas, Sora and Xion go. We'll go after."

Demyx whines slightly but doesn't make as much of a fuss as I'd expected him to. I shoot Zexion a grateful look, which he nods his head to in response and follow Sora and Xion after Officer Fatty. He looks like a walking walrus as we head through halls of cells.

We pass some prisoners. Some try chatting, some glare, but most of them ignore u. I spot a few people who'd gone to Twilight High and avert my eyes immediately. What's wrong with this world? We stop at a random cell.

"This guy?" Officer Fatty asks.

We stare at the sleeping figure on the small bed. His body is way too long for it to be comfortable and his spiky red hair is sprawled out all over the pillow. I swear I even see a little bit of drool. A smile twitches its way onto my face.

_Idiot._

Xion breathes out. "That'shim," she says in a rush.

"He's asleep," Officer Fatty says.

"No shit Sherlock," I mutter under my breath. Sora elbows me.

"You might want to return later—"

Officer Fatty stops talking as Axel opens his acid green eyes. A grin spreads across his face and he hops off the bed.

"Awesome!" is all he says, trying and sort of succeeding to hug us all through the bars.

We all laugh, hugging him back. God, I missed him. "Axel!" I yell as he accidentally (or not) tugs on my hair. He turns his gaze directly onto me, and it's like I was never mad at him at all.

"Roxas! Finally got around to visiting me, didja?"

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't be, you were right to be mad at me." He sighs, flipping his hair over his shoulder. The move is so feminine that I just stare as he continues, "I was stupid, but...well, I couldn't control it. I'm sorry, Roxas." He hugs me tight through the bas, so tight that black spots start dancing in my vision. Officer Fatty makes a warning noise as I gasp, "Axel!"

"Sorry!" He lets go, then looks at Officer Fatty, who had that weird stick thing that police people have out threateningly. "Chill," Axel advises him mildly, before turning back to us. "I'm so glad you guys came, I mean, fuck, I'm bored as _hell_ in here. The most exciting thing that happened is when they brought some dude in here who was rambling about crazy shit—vampires and such. I can't wait to get out of this hellhole."

I glance sideways at Sora. He looks sort of worried about the mention of people talking about vampires.

Xion, oblivious, presses her face up closer to the bars and all but yells, "How long, Axel?"

"Three more weeks," Axel says, winking at her. Seriously, how can he be so cheerful when he's locked up? He must be crazier than I thought...

Xion blushes as a phone rings somewhere in the distance. Officer Fatty warns us, "No funny business," and walks away.

We watch him waddle off. Sora asks absently, "How does someone get so darn fat?" He considers it then answers himself. "Must be the donuts."

Axel seems to notice him for the first time. "Huh, if it isn't Sora." He smirks knowingly at me. He's being so casual it makes me wonder if he even knows he'd almost killed us.

I mouth, "Fuck you," and then smile brightly when Sora looks my way.

"So, what's been going on?" Axel wraps his spidery fingers around the bars. "I'm so unconnected in here it's sad. You gotta let me know what's up!"

"Well...what do you want to know?" I ask.

"Anything. Anybody got a new boyfriend, girlfriend whatever? How come Sora is hanging out with you guys alluva sudden? No offense," he adds, looking Sora's way, "I like you, honest I'm just curious. Did anything funny happen in class? And, um," he lowers his voice, "did anyone get hurt in that fire? Because if anyone did, I'd feel terrible..."

"Okay, first of all, shut up," Xion orders. "We'll answer your questions in order."

Axel nods.

"Might as well answer two questions in one," I say. "Sora is hanging out with us because he's our friend and he's also...my boyfriend."

Sora smirks slowly as Axel's mouth turns into a perfect O. Then Axel points at me and laugh evilly.

"I knew it! You did liiiiike him!"

"Shut up, Axel," I huff, folding my arms, "don't rub it in that you're always right."

His smirk doesn't fade, but he stops teasing. He turns to Sora. "He's a great kisser, right?"

"Roxas is a damn tease," Sora answers in a very conversational tone, as though they were speaking about the weather. His comment ears a death stare from me and questioning looks from Axe and Xion. "If you want to know about something funny that happened in class, you should ask Demyx when he gets in here."

"Oh, of course Demyx would do something." Axel sighs sadly. "I love Dem. Man, I have to get outta here before I go crazy...or crazier...but I'm not going home. I'll be damned if I'm going to let Reno hurt me anymore."

Xion finally speaks up. "Axel, you should tell these cops about Reno. They can lock him up, and you wouldn't have to worry about him anymore."

"Yeah...I know that," Axel mutters. "It's just..." he hits the bars with the sides of his fists. "He's the only family I have left."

"Shitty family," I murmur, but either he chooses to ignore me or he didn't hear me.

Xion frowns. "You should still tell them." She stands up straighter and taller. "If you won't, I will."

I sense a moment coming on, so I tug at Sora's sleeve. "I have to go pee. Come with me?"

Sora catches on immediately and informs Xion and Axel that we'd be right back.

Axel stares at me. "You both are going to the bathroom."

"Yeah, so?" Sora asks blankly.

"Alone. Together."

"My god, grow up, Axel," I say, rolling my eyes before I grab Sora's wrist and tug him along. Axel and Xion snicker.

We stop at Officer Fatty's desk. Sora asks him where the washrooms are while I tell Zexion and Demyx to wait a few minutes before going in. Demyx makes a frustrated sound. "Fiiine..."

"Come on, Roxas," Sora says, tugging my hand. I follow him through yet another dark hallway. We get to the bathroom and I'm surprised to see it's actually pretty clean. The only downside: there's a menacing looking guard standing outside the door.

"One at a time," she grunts, staring at Sora oddly.

Sora and I look at each other, and I'm surprised to see absolute terror in his blue eyes. That's weird...

"We just need to talk in private," I tell her. Her eyes narrow at me. Seriously, I should not be afraid of this chick...my boyfriend's a goddamn vampire for hell's sake! But Sora doesn't glare at me and look like he'd enjoy shooting me with a huge ass machine gun.

"One at a time," she repeats, and in her eyes there's something like...hunger? She hasn't taken her eyes off of Sora the whole time. He's as pale as a ghost. I'm about to argue with the guard again when Sora grabs me and drags me away without a word of explanation.

"Sora, what the hell? I really, actually need to pee!" I complain as I stumble along after him. He doesn't say anything, but he's shaking really hard. He leads me outside. My god, he doesn't look too good. He's almost as pale as I am, and I'm whiter than an albino. He stares blankly at the ground, his eyes so full of fright my heart starts pounding. Okay, no I'm getting freaked out...what would Sora be afraid of that guard for?

"Sora?" I ask quietly, my voice not sounding too strong.

"No...it can't...she..." He moans, clutching his head with his hands and swaying on the spot. He looks like he's gonna pass out. I pull him into my arms and demand, "Sora? What's wrong?"

"That...guard...she..."

I guess she'd scared Sora more than me, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. He could probably kill her in a second. What could she possibly do to him?

"Sora, are you alright?"

He finally finds his voice and gets ahold of himself, tensing up in my hold. I let go and look at him worriedly. "Roxas," he says, his voice a panicked whisper. "We have to get out of here. Now."

"What?" I demand, following as he suddenly turns to go back into the juvie hall. "Why?"

"I'll tell you after. We need to get everyone out of here, now."

"But—"

"Roxas, please don't argue, just _help_ me!" he pleads.

I nod uncertainly, the desperation in his tone making me nervous. "Alright. When you say everyone, so you mean _everyone_ or our friends?"

"Well, our friends...but we'll need some sort of distraction to confuse her...and get away before she can follow us, hopefully..."

"Who's 'her'?"

"The guard."

"But—"

"Roxas, _please_. I'll explain later."

"You better," I say. "Fine. I'll distract this guard while you get everyone. You gonna bail Axel out?"

He takes some—er, more like a whole fricking handful of hundred dollar bills from his back pocket. "Yeah. What're you gonna do?"

""I'll call a bomb warning. From a pay phone."

"Okay, and when everyone's out of there, we're leaving town."

"Are you_ serious_?" I demand, afraid he's having a mental breakdown.

"Yeah, and we're bringing all our friends...far away...hopefully she won't find us..."

"Sora, why?" I ask. When he opens his mouth to protest I say, "No, don't say 'I'll tell you later', I want to know _now_. What's going_ on_?"

He turns his electric eyes on me. "Okay, Roxas, fine. I'll make it short and sweet. Unless we get the hell out of Twilight Town, we're going to be massacred."

**Author's notes: **so...short...ugh...I'm sorry, I really hate this chapter...but woot! Finally, something's happening and the real story is coming out! WAHOOOOO! Kay so review please? I'll give you all Axel plushies x3


	11. Chapter 11: CRASH! that was my world

Author's notes:Sorry for the long wait guys. Y'all know how is being stupid and not letting us post stuff? Well, I got a loophole from KissMeDeadlyT-T who got it from kurosora1984 (just AWESOME I love her she's an excellent author—go read some of her stuff if you haven't already, it's fucking AMAZING!) who got it from JustSayNoToPants on dA and I finally got to post this chapter! Wahoo! (I don't know how all the steps go when someone gets bailed outta jail...so let's pretend this is how it actually goes, alrighty?)

...Well, here we go! I won't make you wait any more x)

Sora's PoV

I watch as Roxas runs off to the nearest phone booth, my heart up in my throat. I don't think he should be going anywhere alone...but I don't have much time to waste. With one last glance towards the fleeing blond, I turn around and hurry into the front doors of the juvie hall, past my friends and straight to the front desk.

I slam my handful of hundred dollar munny on the desk in front of Officer Fatty (which was an excellent nickname for him—he's so _fat_!) and he jumps in his chair, startled. The chair does a noise that can't be healthy and the magazine he'd been reading on knitting (no joke) falls to the floor. I watch hi impatiently, trying not to let my distress show _too_ much.

"What's that for, kid?" he asks me after swallowing a mouthful of donut. My god, I swear on all things that are holy...he's just ridiculous.

"Axel. I want to bail him out of jail," I reply as mildly as I can manage. My left eye twitches at the blank look he gives me. Frustrated, I growl. "That guy we visited earlier! Spiky red hair, the height of a giraffe?"

"Oh, you mean Axel!" he says brightly.

_No shit!_I want to scream, but instead I just sigh and nod. "Yeah...like I said. I want to pay for his release." I jerk my head at the pile of munny on his desk. "Like, _now_ would be good."

He looks at me as though I'd just suggested he run around Twilight Town naked. "Where did you get all the money, kid?" He grins. "Rob a bank?"

I roll my eyes, massaging my temples. "Oh, ha-ha," I say sarcastically. "And _no_, it's my family's money." Actually, my dad's. Apparently he was filthy rich before mom killed him. "Please, can we just get this over with? I have stuff to do."

"But..."

I snap. "Who gives a flying shit?" I yell, causing him to flinch. "Just go fucking _get_ Axel, please!"

Officer Fatty nods to himself. "Fine, kid, just don't cause a scene, y'hear?" He gets up slowly, grunting as his ass gets stuck in the chair. No, I'm not kidding.

"Ya need to be over the age of sixteen—"

"I'm seventeen!" I shout.

"Oh," he says before waddling away. I take deep breaths. Calm down, Sora, calm down. Think happy thoughts.

I swear, can he get any stupider? If he had a brain he'd probably know that the legal age is _eighteen_, not seventeen for hell's sake. He probably should have ID'd me. There are papers that need to be signed. See? Stupid. Actually, I'm kind of grateful for his brain-rottedness. At least now, we'll be outta town quicker. Zexion walks up to me and taps my shoulder.

"What's going on, Sora? Where's Roxas?"

When he says Roxas's name, a funny feeling happens in my gut. Not a good funny feeling, more like a gut instinct that tells you something is terribly wrong. I put it aside for the moment and look at him in the eye. "I'll explain later, okay? I promise. Just get everyone out of here."

Zexion nods and doesn't ask any questions, even though I can see barely suppressed curiosity burning in his one eye. This makes me grateful and I decide that I really like calm people who don't ask questions. Without a word he grabs Demyx by the wrist and motions for Kairi and Naminé to follow them. They do, but not before Kairi asks me,

"What is going on?"

I shake my head. "I told everyone I'll tell you guys later. Just get out of town. Go to like, Radiant Garden or something."

"Why?" Naminé asks. "No offense, how do we know we can trust you?"

I honestly have no idea. I just bite my lip and inject as much of my fear into my words as I can. "_Please_ just trust me when I say your lives could be depending on this."

The two girls look at each other, share a look and then shrug and follow Zexion and Demyx. I breathe a sigh of relief. They should be safe.

I lean against the wall and wait for Officer Fatty to return with Axel, very impatiently I might add. My eyes keep flickering to the hall where I'd seen my mother. It's empty now.

I shudder. Even after ten years, her last words to me echo loud and clear in my head. _The next time you see me, not only you are in trouble. Everyone you love will die._From anyone else, the words would have been an empty threat. But from _her_... they strike fear into me so bad that I'm starting to shake. It doesn't help that my stomach is churning. Something bad is going to happen. Everything is too quiet, like the calm before one hell of a bad hurricane.

"Sora?" a female voice asks softly, jolting me out of my trance. I force my eyes up and see Axel and Xion standing there, holding hands and looking at me anxiously.

"I...bailed you out," I say slowly, not able to think of anything else.

Axel runs a hair through his crimson locks. "Thanks, but why? What's wrong?"

"Everything is wrong." That's all I say. Then the phone rings, the shrill sound slicing the heavy silence and making me jump about a billion feet into the air.

"Uh-huh?" Officer Fatty answers unprofessionally. Why am I not surprised?

His chubby face falls. "A bomb?" He demands. "Who is this?"

"A bomb?" Axel yelps. "What is going on here?"

I can distinctly make out the sound of talking on the other end of the phone. "_That's not important. It's set to blow at three o'clock, today_." A tiny bit of weight is lifted off my chest. Roxas is okay! Stupid gut feeling!

"A terrorist attack!" Officer Fatty wails. He's _so_ not qualified for this job. "Set to activate at three pm? That's in an hour!"

Roxas's voice hesitates on the other line, and then he says, "_Yeah_." and the line goes dead.

Officer Fatty pushes his fist on a red button and then suddenly there are lights flashing and alarms blaring. A bunch of creepy looking cops file down the halls (where did they come from?) and lead handcuffed kids outside. Two cops, one with long, silver hair and forest green eyes, the other with choppy brown hair and blue eyes, make eye contact with me. They smirks and continue on their way, leaving me to wonder what the hell that was about and why they made me feel so...uncomfortable, I guess you could say.

Officer Fatty looks at us, his face pale. For once, his voice is crisp and professional as he barks at us, "Get the hell outta here, kids!"

Well, I don't have to be told twice. I drag Axel and Xion out of the building as quickly as I can. The odd feeling in the pit of my stomach won't leave and for some reason, I feel the intense need to go find Roxas. Now.

As we run to my car, which had been parked beside Demyx's truck but is now sitting by itself in the parking lot, Xion asks me, "Where's Roxas and the others?"

"Dem and the others are gone to Radiant Garden. Sh, I'll explain later," I say for what has to be the zillionth time. "I'll go get Roxas." I don't give them anytime to answer before running off in the direction of the nearest payphone. There's a weird scent in the wind and my stomach does a backflip. Why do I have such a bad feeling?

I spot and blond head ducking in the tall booth and run faster until everything is a blur, letting my breath out on relief. But...wait. something is wrong. I slow down to a stop as the churning feeling in my stomach gets worse, so bad it's almost unmanageable. The smell is a lot stronger now. Something dark and red catches my eye and I stop. Completely. The most miniscule detail ever, but it makes my fear spike up about three hundred notches. Especially when I finally recognize the dark, seductive scent.

"Roxas!" I scream, every part of me denying what my eyes are telling me.

No answer.

"Oh, god no..." I ignore the shattered glass everywhere and hurry to where I can see his blond hair in the booth. I panic completely, freezing up at the sight before me.

It's Roxas...but no, it can't be. It _can't_. Roxas isn't the person lying there, completely dead. He just _can't_ be the lifeless, bloody body with a messed up shoulder and a shard of glass making blood spurt out of his hand in waterfalls of crimson.

It can't be. But I know it is.

I close my eyes. Maybe, if I just stand here and not open them I can convince myself this is just a nightmare, and I'll wake up tomorrow in my bed, Roxas screaming at me to wake the fuck up so we're not late for school.

"Sora?" I faintly hear someone yelling my name from far behind me. It wrenches me out of my thoughts, but I ignore it and run over to the person I love the most in the world. I gasp his name and crush him against my chest, a dry sob tearing its way out of my throat.

"No, no, nonono_no_..." I mutter hysterically, my voice rising with every syllable. Tears trickle down my cheeks but I barely notice them as I start soundlessly screaming for him to wake up. My heart feels like someone is grabbing it and squeezing it in between their fingers, twisting and clawing at it with no mercy.

I'm too late. Roxas is gone. He's _dead_, and it's all my fault.

I hear voices buzzing behind me but I couldn't focus on them even if I wanted to. I just bury my face in Roxas's cold chest, letting my tears and his blood mingle. There's no heartbeat, no sign that he's still among the living.

I kneel there for what seems like an eternity, crying my eyes out and hugging his dead body, when gentle hands try to pry me away from him. I snarl viciously and snap at them, a sharp yelp mingled with cursing and what sounds like repressed tears lets me know that I've gone on defensive mode and my fangs are extended, and my bloodshot eyes are probably glowing. I don't care. Nothing matters except for Roxas...oh god..._Roxas._

"Sora!" Xion's voice is sharp and high. "What's happening!"

"Is Roxas..." Axel asks, his voice a papery whisper that trails off into nothingness. "Is he dead?"

My sobbing answers their questions.

"Fuck," Axel curses, kneeling beside me and wrapping Roxas and me in a bone-crushing hug. It makes me cry harder and I cling to him and Roxas, feeling Axel's warm tears land in my hair. After a moment Xion goes on my other side, squeezing hard as well. We stay like this for a long time, clinging to each other and crying until our eyes run dry and all we can do is sob dryly, our hearts shattering to millions of pieces that won't ever be reunited unless Roxas was alive again. A break into a fit of shaking and collapse onto the ground and curl into the fetal position.

Because I don't think I can live without him. I love him and I _need_ him.

"Sora," Axel says softly, his voice harsh from crying. "Come on. We need to get outta here before someone finds us." I let him help me up, but I don't let him take Roxas from me. I'm never leaving him again.

Xion's voice is barely audible. "How did this happen?"

I can't answer. I feel numb, now that I've cried myself out. Numb, emotionless even. I block out all of my emotions because if I let them get out of hand again, I'll black out and never wake up. Axel wraps an arm around my waist and helps me to the car. I walk robotically and sit down in the backseat just as stonily, letting Roxas rest on my lap.

The worst thing is that I'd had a bad feeling about letting Roxas go alone from the very beginning. But I'd let him go anyway.

Axel slips into the driver's seat. I hand over my keys wordlessly and keep my eyes focused on the back of the passenger seat. Roxas had sat there not even one hour ago. I close my eyes again.

The car turns onto the highway and Axel says quietly, "Sora, you have a lot of explaining to do. Like why is Roxas dead? And why do you want us to leave town?"

"What aren't you telling us?" Xion adds, her voice weak with stress and anguish.

I do an odd sound, something between a choked sob and a sigh. Their words had reminded me that I'm not the only one affected by this. They made the emotions I'd been pressing down pop back up. A new round of tears fill y eyes and I let them fall, whispering, "I can't tell you guys." Like they would even believe me...No, they'd probably try to put me in a padded room.

Axel slams on the breaks suddenly and whirls around in his seat, earning some indignant honks from drivers behind us. He flips them off and yells at me, "Like _hell_ you can't tell us! You have no fucking choice, Sora. Because whether you like it or not, we're a part of this now. So are Demyx, Zexion, Kairi and Naminé. We all became a part of this when Roxas died. So start talking before I _make_ you start talking."

"Axel...don't take it out on Sora. It's not his fault," Xion reprimands him gently, noticing when I squeeze my eyes shut. I hear Axel sigh.

"You're right. Sorry, Sora." His voice is a lot calmer than it had been a moment ago. "I didn't mean to snap...but what I said was true. You have to tell us." He hesitated, and then whispered, "Please."

I fight back more tears. Yeah, they're all a part of it. They might die because of that...Still; I can't help but admire how brave they're being.

"You'll never believe me," I say, clutching Roxas's cold body closer to my own. "You'll tell me I'm crazy, and I wouldn't be able to handle that."

Axel rolls his eyes. "Hate to tell ya, but I _am_ kind of crazy. I think us crazies can tell when there are other crazies around."

"Please, Sora..." Xion adds, her voice breaking. "We need to know..."

My heart breaks all over again. I _hate_ it when girls cry. It's like kicking a puppy. Just wrong, and it hurts like hell to see. I decide that I owe them an explanation. What've I got to lose? I've already lost the reason I exist.

"My mother..." I start, knowing this is going to be a long story. "She wants to kill everyone I love."

Axel and Xion nod, as though this is completely normal. This convinces me to continue. I tell them everything I'd told Roxas, revealing my dark past and opening up in a way that I'd never done before. How my mom had killed my father, and left me when I was seven, leaving me, half human, half vampire to fend for myself. It's a good thing I'd been able to get to the family safe; otherwise there's no way I'd be alive today. I tell them about her last words. I tell them everything.

"...She hated my guts, told me I was filthy for having my father's blood in me. Technically, this is all his fault. Everything would be normal if he hadn't cheated with another woman. But then, I wouldn't have met you guys. Anyway, she would abuse me in ways you can't imagine..." I shudder at the memory of how much pain she'd put me through, how she'd laughed whenever I cried or bled. Then one day, she suddenly left...and now she's back, and she wants to kill you all just for being my friends. She's already killed...Roxas...don't you see? Your lives are all in danger. She's crazy." My tone gets more and more desperate with every word I speak.

"Wait, you're saying a vampire?" Axel demands, scrutinizing me through the rear-view mirror and swerving to avoid an oncoming semi. I swear with this guy driving, we won't need to worry about my mother. We'll be roadkill before we hit the halfway mark.

"Heh...well...yeah...technically, only half," I say weakly, picking at an imaginary loose tread on my shirt.

"Huh," Xion mutters.

"See?" I hiss, frustrated. "I told you guys you wouldn't believe me!"

"No one said that, Sora," Xion says softly. "It's just a lot to take in. And I do believe you. That's the crazy thing. I know it's impossible but I also know you're not lying."

Axel stops the car, again, making me slam into my passenger seat and whack my head, almost biting my tongue off. Cars whizz by, drivers shaking their fists and cursing at Axel. "Listen, Sora," Axel says, ignoring people hating on him, "I believe you too, as batshit crazy as it sounds. I guess I have no choice, really. But," he adds, raising an eyebrow, "if you really _are_ a vampire, why not change Roxas?"

I groan warily, even though it's not a bad idea. Actually, it's such a good idea that a small balloon of hope blows up in my chest. Unfortunately, I have to pop it. "It's not that easy." Jeeze, what _is_ it with these Twilight High students? It's like they don't know what it means to be scared.

"Why?" Xion demands, and I hate to kill the very obvious hope in her, too.

I look guiltily down at Roxas. If he wasn't covered in blood and colder than a stone, he could've been sleeping. "I don't know how," I say quietly.

Axel sighs and starts driving (again). "Well, let's think. In the books, vampires turn humans into vampires by biting them, or exchanging blood, or something. Either that or some funky venom shit in your teeth triggers a change."

I look down at Roxas's torn throat, where I'd bitten him what seems so long ago. It's a bloody mess right now and I quickly look away before I can burst into tears again. "I...already bit him before, so I don't think—" They both give me looks that clearly say _You__what__?_ and I add, "He _made_ me bite him, okay? He wouldn't leave me alone—"

"Okay, Sora, now keep going," Axel interrupts abruptly.

I swallow. "Sorry. So I don't think I have any venom on my teeth or anything. Because he is—he was still normal," I correct, my heart twanging painfully. "So...maybe my blood would do...something."

"I hope it does, I mean...Roxas. He's been by best friend forever and I love him...I can't picture my life without him. It would be like darkness without light. A total disaster." His voice is actually trembling this time and the pain is so clear in his voice that the whole situation hits me again like a cold slap in the face. It hits me so bad I literally rock backwards. Roxas...he's gone, _really gone_, forever, unless I can do something. This all falls on my shoulders. So many people will be affected by his death all because I was stupid and let him go without me. _All my fault_.

My life is falling apart...

I realize I'm crying again, bawling more like. My tears fall onto Roxas's white cheek and I think vaguely that if this were a fairytale, he'd wake up and we'd all live happily ever after.

But this isn't a fairytale; this is real life.

My stomach jumps again and I yell, "Stop the car! I'm gonna be sick!"

Axel slams on the breaks and I jump out before we're completely stopped, falling to my knees on the curb of the highway and puking my guts out. I hear a slamming car door through my retching and soon Xion is beside me, pulling my bangs out of my face and rubbing my back soothingly.

Once everything in my stomach ins out, my stomach wrenches up dry air, which makes me spit out some bile. It burns my throat and my eyes are stinging as tears fall down. God, I'm a mess. Xion murmurs things I can't understand but they are comforting nonetheless. I hear a door slam again and Axel gently lifts Roxas out of the back seat, wrapping him up in a white blanket from my trunk before placing him back there and planting a kiss on his forehead. I see this all from the corner of my eye.

When my stomach decides it's done with dry heaving, I straighten up and wipe my mouth with my sleeve. Yeah, disgusting, I know. But I kind of have more important things to worry about than personal hygiene.

"Are you better now?" Xion whispers, offering me a piece of Axel's cinnamon gum.

"Yeah," I lie, taking it gratefully. "You?"

"I don't think I'll ever be alright again with Roxas dead," she answers miserably as we climb back into the car.

"Maybe I can change him," I say hopefully.

"Would he want that though?" Axel mutters, so quietly I barely hear him.

"What are you saying?" Xion and I demand at the same time.

Axel shrugs. "I mean...well, no offense, Sora but what if he doesn't want to drink blood to live?"

I think about that with guilt pounding into my skull. Am I really being so selfish? I finally shake my head. "No offence taken," I say.

"You suggested it, Axel!" Xion says loudly. "Why are you thinking about this now?"

Axel shrugs again. "I'm just thinking of both sides, Xion."

"Axel..." I say slowly. "You may be right. But I think he would want it. I mean, I'd rather be undead and have to live off of blood rather than be dead and never see the people I love ever again. Wouldn't you?"

Axel nods as my point gets across to him. "You're right, Sora. Well, get to it then."

I stare at him strangely. I'll never understand how his mind works. "We should wait until we're there. I don't want to screw it up." Even though I want nothing more than to see Roxas alive again, to be able to see him, to touch him...I don't think it's a good idea to do in a moving vehicle.

"Fine."

I close my eyes again, hoping to fall asleep. I'm hoping for a dreamless sleep in which I'll forget the pain in my heart for at least a little bit.

_Please work...please let me bring Roxas back..._I drift off into sleep with those words bouncing into my head.


	12. Chapter 12: FML

**Author's notes: **I just wanna say that updates are going to be a lot less frequent now...even though they weren't that frequent in the first place... ^^" *shot* Anyhoo... it's all because I'm not doing too good in science and social studies and I have to work to get my marks back up Dx (I used to be a straight nineties student—now I'm in the seventies and sixties O_o) Plus, I only have up to chapter fifteen complete in my iPod notes section, and after that I'm experiencing serious WRITER'S BLOCK. It's pissing me off. Sorry for anyone who likes my story, I'll update as quickly as I can...assuming you can put up with me and wait ^^"

Sora's PoV

(The next day)

"Yo, bloodsucker, wake up. We're here."

I groan and peel open my eyes, feeling like shit on toast— my eyes are stinging, my head pounding and my back is all weird from sleeping in that weird position. My first thought is "Where the fuck am I?" and then "Where's Roxas?" and then "Right..." The last thought is accompanied by a sharp pain in my heart and a prickling feeling in my eyes. I just want to curl up and cry my eyes out. But I already did that, didn't I? So now, I need to think positive and convince myself that I can change Roxas.

Easy, peasy, right? No. Not so much. The pain in my heart shouldn't be possible—if it was already broken, how could it still be hurting?

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," Axel continues, interrupting my mental tirade and making a shushing gesture to me while jerking his head at Xion, who is talking on her cell phone. I glare at him. Like I was going to talk? My throat feels like a desert, which I know doesn't make sense but I don't care. It still feels and sandy and gross and hot. Mixed with my stiff back and my emotional mess, I feel worse than shit on toast. I just feel like fucking hell.

My foul mood must have shown on my face, because suddenly Axel's voice isn't an annoying singsong, but a soft, comforting one. "Hey, don't worry, Sora. Everything's gonna be okay. I have complete faith in your ability to change Roxas."

"I don't," I mutter, my voice all croaky and weird. Ehh, it _burns_! I hate being thirsty and depressed. It sucks and makes my inner voice ramble a lot.

"Well I do."

"In the books the human has to be alive for the vampire to change him."

"Yeah? Well this ain't a book."

"Huh. Well I still don't have faith in myself."

"Well I do," Axel repeats firmly. "What's wrong with your voice?"

I swallow, but my mouth has like zero spit in it so nothing happens. "Nothing." I try to say it clearly, but it was more of a papery whisper. "Just thirsty."

"Oh." His voice drops, as though he has some super classified secret. "Like thirsty, or _thirsty_ thirsty?"

"Uh...thirsty...?"

"Huh." He shrugs. "Whatcha gonna do?"

"I don't know. I'll get something later."

"Mmkay."

Something he'd said a while ago fully registers in my mind. "Hey! Don't call me bloodsucker!"

Axel snorts. "Okay, _leech_."

I growl. When my mood is shitty, you do _not_ want to mess with me. "Axel..."

At that moment Xion snaps her phone shut. "Shut up, you two," she says automatically. "That was Demyx. He and the others are at McDonald's. He said to meet them there."

I nod. "Did he ask about...Roxas?" My stomach clenches and sadness washes over me again.

"Yeah..." Xion says quietly. "He asked about all of us. I said that we're all fine and then I pretended my phone was dead and hung up on him." She hangs her head guiltily.

Axel looks away from the road to give her a reassuring grin. "Don't worry 'bout it, babe. We might not even have to tell them anything, if Sora changes Roxas."

She smiles back and takes his hand. I look away, my heart falling from loneliness and sadness. How is it the smallest sign of love and comfort can make me miss Roxas so much? Oh, I know. It's because I love him and I miss him and I wish that I could have him here, beside me, being all cute and grumpy and lovable. I smile faintly, good memories of him clouding out the bad ones of him pale, bloody and definitely dead. I decide to stop hoping to change him and start thinking I _will_ change him—no matter what. I clear my throat.

"Where are we staying?" I _so_ should've thought this through more.

Xion brightens up somewhat, seeming happy to be able to bring good news. "Kairi's friend, Riku, lives here. He said we can stay there."

"Sounds like a plan," Axel says distractedly, alternating between looking at the road and peeking down Xion's low-cut shirt.

"Guys," I say slowly, fighting back a laugh at Axel's pure idioticness. It amazes me that I'm actually able to laugh at a time like this. "How is this gonna go down?"

They stare at me blankly. I sigh. I'm getting used to their general blankness by now. "They'll wonder as soon as we get there where Roxas is. We can't just say 'Oh, he's dead in the trunk, because Sora's psychopathic mother killed him and we are now trying to find a way for Sora to resurrect him. So whatcha gonna order?'" I shake my head. "They would probably try to take us to the psych ward."

"Please. Just please. Shut up," Axel says, looking back at me and grinning. "We'll wing it." Xion dives for the wheel to avoid a huge Dodge Ram.

"If we wing it the way you're winging it driving, we won't have to fucking worry about winging it at all!" she yells. "You." She points at Axel. "Out. Now. I'm driving."

They trade places and then Axel turns around in the passenger seat, resuming his conversation with me as though nothing had happened.

"So, try giving him some blood now!" he suggests, but he perkiness in his voice is faked, I can tell. There's too much anxiety in it for it to be perky.

"I don't want to get my hopes up...what if it doesn't work?"

Xion parks on the side of the road, turning to me to say something, but is interrupted by Axel.

"Shut _up_!" he yells for the umpteenth. "Sora, just try, okay? You'll never know if you don't try! You gotta think positive!"

_Yeah! _yells my inner voice. _Weren't you the one saying that you were gonna bring him back, no matter what? _I nod, forcing myself to smile. He's right. I have to try, at least. "Okay. You're right. Now go get Roxas."

Axel seems shocked. "Why me?"

"Because. My ass hurts." Truthfully, I just don't think I can physically hold Roxas' weight right now... When I'm depressed, my limbs feel like jelly. Yes, I know...I'm weird. Get over it.

"But—"

"Axel," Xion cuts in exasperatedly. "Just _do it_." She rolls her eyes. "If Roxas was here, he'd be rolling his eyes over how immature you two are being!" I swear she looks like she wants to knock our heads together.

Axel sighs and gets out of the car. My thoughts drift back to Roxas, his eyes, his hair, his angelic looks... My heart thuds again when I hear the trunk slam closed. _God,_ I can't believe we put him back there; I feel terrible and it seems just wrong.

Axel slides into the backseat, right next to me. He's holding Roxas in a gentle cradle, like Roxas is a small child. Even in death, he still looks beautiful, like an angel sent from heaven. I can almost imagine that the white blanket wrapped around him is feathery wings. The image is so sweet I actually choke up a little, but that _could_ be because I'm looking at the person I love, dead.

You know.

"So," Axel says, seeming a lot more comfortable than he should. "Get on with it, before any of us have to miss him anymore." He gestures for me to put my arms out, so I do. He gently transfers Roxas from his arms to mine and my heart clenches. _This is where he belongs, in my arms_. The thought drifts through my head and I just stare at him. He could be sleeping, if it wasn't for the blood all over him. Which is weird, now that I get a good look at it. Not exactly crimson, sort of...purpley-red, not the color of dried up blood but just slightly different. Huh...weird. I'd never noticed that before.

I stare at up at Axel and he gazes calmly back. "So, like...what? You just gonna sit there and watch?"

"Yep."

I shake my head warily. He's hopeless. "Do either of you guys have a sharp object I could use?" I ask grimly, waving my wrist around.

Axel leans in close, seeming excited. "Use your teeth, I want to see them!"

Xion rolls her eyes, but I can see her watching curiously in the rear-view mirror.

"Uh...okay," I say, extending my fangs without even having to think about it. Axel jumps back, his eyes wide. It looks quite comical.

"Cool!" he says like a little kid.

I shrug and slit my wrist. After a small sting, scarlet wells up, some dripping down onto the seats and the floor and even on Roxas. I look at it longingly (I know it's my own blood, okay? I'm just thirsty) and then hesitantly press my wrist against Roxas' cold lips, tilting his head slightly so the blood pours down his throat.

Absolutely nothing happens. I wasn't expecting anything right away, but since I don't know how this works in reality, it's not very reassuring. So I sort of just sit there, holding Roxas and letting my blood drip into his mouth, staring at his beautiful face for any signs of life. My stomach keeps churning nervously, because like I said, I have no idea how the Change is supposed to happen or if I can even do it since I'm not fully vampire. Ugh, this is confusing.

"Holy shit, did you guys _see_ that?" Axel's voice interrupts my mental babble, again.

I snap my eyes away from Roxas. "What?"

Xion, who'd just pulled into the parking lot of McDonald's, turns around, her face almost as pale as Roxas's and her blue eyes wide with fear. "What _was_ that?"

"What? What?" I demand, looking between them frantically. All the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight and I suddenly get that feeling again, that terrible, chilling feeling of wrongness. "What did you see?"

"I...well, it looked like two or three people, but they were all weird...and they looked like they were flying...really fast." Xion looks around again. She suddenly gasps and points. "There!"

I whip my head in the direction of her finger and catch a glimpse of chocolate brown curls flying in the wind and a devious smirk that makes cold sweat rise on my back. My heart drops when I see a long streak of silver and then another dark blur. My eyesight may not be as good as a full vampire's, but it's good enough to tell that there are at least three vampires out there. Ah, hell! My mother has minions? Fuck my life!

"Shit!" I hiss. "Start driving, get away, now!" I snap to Xion, who nods in a frightened way and backs out of the parking lot.

"Why? Do you know what that was?" Axel demands.

"That was my mom and possibly two other vampires." I put out my hand the one that isn't pouring blood into Roxas's mouth. "Someone give me a phone."

Xion throws hers back. It hits Axel in the head. He mutters, "Ow," and then hands it over to me, rubbing his head with a frown on his face. I'd laugh, but I can't. I'm sort of freaking out, but they're looking at me like I'm their leader. I guess even though I don't fucking know what to do, I'm still the one who knows best what to do. Well, hell. This doesn't seem promising.

"Get to that Riku guy's place," I say. "I'll call the others and tell them they need to get to his place, too."

"_I'll_ call them," Axel says, snatching the phone back and quickly dialling a number.

"Does that whole 'vampires can't enter without permission' thing apply here?" Xion asks when Axel hangs up, speeding through a red light. It's a good thing there are no cops around. We can't afford to be stopped right now.

"I don't know!" I whisper nervously, hating how useless I feel. All I can do is sit there, clutching at Roxas, silently hoping he'll come back to life any minute now. "Not with me, but I'm not a full vampire, so...ugh, I don't know."

"We'll find out, I guess." Axel taps Xion. "Turn here, remember?"

"Right." Xion turns onto a road that leads into the forest. I can see huge houses in the distance. This must be where the rich people live. As we drive on the road, surrounded by thick foliage on each side, I look back. The main highway is quickly swallowed up by green leaves and density. I swallow, a tiny prickling feeling that something is wrong making the fine hairs on my arms stand up. I take my wrist away from Roxas's unresponsive lips, rubbing it nervously. It heals almost instantly. Feeling unreasonably nervous, I tighten my grip around the frail body in my arms and look out the window beside me.

And scream.

"What?" Axel demands, his eyes wide. I scramble back, squishing myself against him. "What did you see?"

"A face!" I gasp, clutching at my chest to try to calm the pounding of my heart. "Green eyes—they looked like a cat's eyes and-and silver hair. But it looked _evil_."

The car suddenly jerks to the side.

"Xion, what are you doing?" I yell.

"I can't control the car!" she screams back, her voice rising with panic. She tries turning the wheel but it won't budge.

The car spins off of the road, and after lots of screaming and tires squealing and terror we stop by crashing into a tree. Luckily, it only smashes the passenger side and Xion isn't hurt, besides the fact that she's sobbing hysterically.

"Are you guys okay?" I ask shakily. Axel nods. My heart is pounding in my chest, so hard it's crazy. I look at Xion, who is trembling in her seat.

She shakes her head quickly and says between gasps, "N-no...Sora, _there's something on the roof_!"

Sure enough, a loud thump from above us proves her right. That horrible sense of wrongness and dread shoots through me again and I swallow hard.

"I'm going to check it out."

"No, Sora, _don't leave the car_! Whatever's out there—it's _terrible_ and _evil_, I can _feel_ it!"

"I know," is all I say, before I open the car door and whirl around.

There it is—that terrible face that had been smirking at me through the window. The cruel, wrong green eyes that had shown me death and torture are narrowed at me as a pink tongue comes out to lick thin lips. I stare at the vampire, the _full_ vampire and it stares back at me, its eyes telling me what kind of pain it would like to cause me. I swallow and stand my ground, refusing to let it frighten me away.

"What do you want?" I ask it, narrowing my eyes right back.

The vampire doesn't answer me. He simply smiles, a menacing, unnatural smile that makes shivers go down my spine. I let out a growl.

"What the fuck do you want?" I yell. "You work for my mother, don't you?"

He tilts his head to the side, like a small child wondering what was going on. He still doesn't answer.

"Sora!" Xion screams from the car.

"_What_?" I snap, not meaning for it to come out that meanly.

She coughs violently. "There's something...in the air...we can't breathe!"

I hear Axel take a huge gulp of air and then start hacking. A jolt of fury hits me and I stare at the vampire, who now has a satisfied look on his face.

"Stop it!" I yell at him. "It's me you really want, isn't it?" Something flickers in those bottomless, cruel eyes. "Well then leave them alone and come _get_ me!"

Without even a second's warning he pounces. I barely have time to jump back before he lands right where I'd been standing, leaving a huge dent in the gravel. His long silver hair pools around him, and I can tell he's beautiful, even though it's a terrifying, powerful and menacing beauty. I swallow and force myself to stare into his eyes. "That's right, fight me!" I yell, curling my fingers into fists and planting my feet firmly on the ground.

_You can do this, Sora. _The voice echoes in my head and it sounds oddly like Roxas's. I take strength from it and make eye contact with Xion, who is staring at me and gasping for air. I try to tell her to take Roxas and Axel and run the rest of the way to Riku's house with my eyes. Thank god, she understands. When they're completely out of sight, turning into the driveway of a house nearby, I look back at the vampire. His green eyes stare back, unnerving. He draws a long, thin sword and stands up straight, reaching at least six foot eight. My eyes widen. I'm in deep shit.

He points the blade at me, and even though he's at least eight feet away, it nearly touches my chest. I begin to seriously panic when all of a sudden a loud honk from behind me makes the vampire jump and whirl around, disappearing into the thick woods with a bone chilling screech that echoes in my head and makes me drop to my knees. I stare after him in disbelief, my heart pounding so hard I think it's gonna burst. I turn around to see my saviour.

Demyx's huge truck is driving towards me. It stops and Zexion pokes his head out of the passenger window, a weird look in his eyes. I can't really describe it with anything besides weird because it's hard to tell what he's thinking.

"What are you doing?" he asks

"I...uh...didn't you see...?" I point vaguely in the direction the silver haired vampire had taken off in. Zexion follows my finger and stares at the forest.

"See what?" he asks, but something in his voice tells me he's not telling me something. I force back the uneasy feeling that he's lying to me and shake my head. Most likely the vampire had made it so that he wasn't visible to humans.

"Never mind. We, uh, got in an accident." I jerk my head toward the car on the side of the road. "I, umm, sent Xion and Axel and, ah, Roxas ahead...and..." I trail off, not sure what I should tell them I'd been doing.

"Never mind, then." Demyx grins. "Hop in, we'll give you a ride."

"Okay." I don't want to be out here alone, anyway, so I open the back seat and sit uncomfortably beside Kairi. I bite my lip and don't make eye contact with anyone.

"Just so you know, you guys have some shit to explain when we get to Riku's," Zexion informs me coolly, raising his one visible eyebrow at me. He gestures towards the McDonald's sitting on the compartment thingie. "Like why it was so urgent for us to leave the restaurant and get to Riku's. And some other stuff. I, for one, want to know why we had to leave town."

"Yeah!" Demyx chimes in. "You guys are confusing us."

Kairi and Naminé 'hmmph' in agreement. I shut my eyes.

"At Riku's."

"Fine," they all chorus together, and we fall into an uncomfortable silence. I press my forehead on the window, trying to calm down. That had really shaken me. I try to ignore the fact that I still feel like there is something unsafe and unnatural out there, watching our every move.

We pull into the driveway of a huge house, bigger than mine. Actually, it looks more like one of those castles from the old day. It's really pretty, with dark red bricks and large crystal clear windows, emerald green grass, and dark green trees swaying peacefully in the light breeze. It seems crazy to think that somewhere out there, there are things that want to kill us.

"Wow," I say slowly, stepping out of the truck and onto a stone driveway. "This is where Riku lives?"

"Yep," Kairi says excitedly. "You should see his summer cabin. It's by the ocean and it's _so_ pretty."

"Sora!" a girl's voice screams from somewhere near the house. I look around and see Xion running towards me. She launches herself into my arms. "Are you okay? Did you kill it?"

"Kill what?" Naminé asks.

"Oh!" Xion finally notices we're not alone. "Uh, nothing, the huge bug I saw!"

I roll my eyes. "No," I say. "It went away."

"Oh." She nods, and I know she gets my meaning.

"Where's Axel and...er, Roxas?" I ask, faltering on Roxas's name. Ugh, I have to learn to lie better, or they'll know something is up.

"They went inside."

"You guys have a _lot_ of explaining to do," Zexion cuts in, folding his arms. Xion flinches and I look down guiltily.

"Inside, okay?"

Before anyone can say anything, a silver haired guy runs out of the mansion and yells, "Kairi!"

Kairi blushes as he glomps her. "Riku, get off!" she complains, but she's giggling and I can tell she doesn't want him to. My stomach clenches uncomfortably when he looks at me. He reminds me of the vampire who'd just attacked me.

"Who're you?" he asks me, his aquamarine eyes wide with curiosity.

"I'm Sora," I say, something in me telling me that there's something weird about him. I shake it off. I'm just being paranoid. After that uneventful but totally creepy attack, I figure I have a good reason to be freaked out.

"Nice to meetcha. I'm Riku." Then he addresses the whole group. "Come on in, guys. Roxas is sleeping in one of the spare rooms, but Axel's waiting in the living room. Says he has something he wants to discuss with you guys, and me too apparently."

My heart thuds painfully. Roxas isn't sleeping, he's _dead_. Does that mean my blood didn't do anything?

God, I have such a headache. I'm a mess. I'm freaked out, pissed off (at my mom for ruining my life), and most of all, still depressed. And I need to hunt. I'm practically dying of thirst. As everyone heads off to the huge mansion, I slip unnoticed into the forest, shutting my brain off. It feels good not to think for a little bit, and just give in to my instincts. I walk into the forest until the trees block off the light and the woods swallow me.

**Author's notes: **D: last chapter someone pointed out to me that generally a vampire can't change a human into a vampire unless said human is still alive. I was like CRAP. But then I realized: Hey, this is MY story. I can make anything happen! And then I felt like an evil genius and cackled evilly. Muahahaha. Anyway, please review and tell me how I'm doing (because I'm seriously beginning to confuse myself with the way I write Dx)


	13. Just A Little Flashback

**Author's notes: **I'd just like to point out that the vampire who kinda attacked Sora and then ditched was in fact Sephiroth, not Riku. Someone asked if it was Riku. It was not. Don't worry. Sephiroth will become important later in the story. So will Riku. Muahahahahhaa. That's all I'm saying xP Also: this WHOLE CHAPTE IS A FLASHBACK! (it's not very important so you don't need to read it if u don't want.)

Roxas (gasp!) PoV

**FLASHBACK!**

Gathering up what courage I could, I picked up the cold metal phone and dialled the number I'd hastily memorized. It rang and rang on the other end, and I was beginning to think that no one would pick up and that my plan would fail epically and I'd be left standing there, like a complete idiot.

I was just about to hang up when a deep voice answered, "_Uh-huh?_"

_Officer Fatty_, I thought with a relieved sigh. This would make it so much easier. I take a deep breath and say, "This is a terrorist attack." I was glad my voice didn't shake. I continued with a newfound burst of confidence, pitching my voice low and sharp, like I had to hold back a dam of hatred and angst that had built up inside me. "A bomb has been set to blow up in the prison."

"_A bomb?_" the police officer yelled into the phone, making me wince and hold the phone away from my ear. "_Who is this?_"

"_A bomb? What is going on here?_" another voice yelped. I almost laughed when I recognized it as Axel, but held it back—I didn't want to ruin my whole facade thing going on.

"That's not important," I continued as I stole a glance at my phone screen. "It's set to blow at three o'clock, today."

"_A terrorist attack!_" Officer Fatty screamed, and I almost dropped the phone. He just _had_ to fucking yell it, didn't he? I thought I was going to go deaf. "_Set to activate at three pm! That's in an hour!_"

"Yeah," I said stupidly, because I couldn't think of anything else at the moment. Then I hung up, and waited for Sora to come and get me, like he'd told me he would.

I stood there for quite a while—in which I literally started making shapes out of the clouds in my boredom—when I finally heard the crunch of gravel under shoe behind me. I turned around, fully prepared to give Sora shit for taking so damn long. Instead, I found myself face to face with that creepy as fuck lady from the bathroom earlier. Behind her is a tall man with long, silver hair and green eyes that had narrowed pupils like a cat's. He seems creepier and more unnatural than the woman, but I paid it no mind at that moment. He wasn't the one right up in m face.

The lady was a lot more beautiful than I remembered: her skin was the exact shade of caramel, shimmering slightly in the light of the sun. Her hair was a deep, chocolate brown that looked impossibly luscious and soft. It rang warning bells in my head, but I paid them no mind. Her eyes, narrowed and glaring at me, were an odd reddish brown color. There were absolutely no physical imperfections on this woman. I was kind of relieved that she's lost the gun and stuff, but she and that creepy guy were way in my personal boundaries. I stepped back, somewhat nervously, a terrible sense of wrongness washing over me.

We stood like that for a while, just sizing each other up—the tension was high and it was making me nervous. Finally, tired of just staring, I cleared my throat.

"Can I help you?" I asked, injecting my voice with as much sarcasm as I could muster. She said nothing in response, just moved closer to me. My heart jumped and I moved back until my back was against the wall of the phone booth. _Shit, I'm trapped!_ My eyes flickered nervously from her to the man, who was watching me with a creepy grin on his face. He looked like he'd love to eat me, and I don't mean in the sexual pleasing way that Sora would—I mean _literally_ eat me. He definitely wasn't the same as her—but I couldn't put my tongue on it.

I clenched my fists, stubbornness winning over the fright. "What the fuck do you guys want? Get the hell outta my face."

"Mouthy brat," she remarked, and I had to repress a shudder that the horrible snarl in her voice caused. "Just like _him_..."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I demanded. "Just get away from me." Oooh, I didn't like this, not one bit. I tried to push her, but it was like trying to shove a wall. Just damn impossible and a waste of energy. She got so close her chocolate bangs brushed my forehead and her glaring eyes were staring right into mine.

It hit me then that her hair was the _exact_ shade as Sora's.

Panic clogged up my throat as I watched her canines lengthen in a terrifyingly graceful way. "No!" I yelled, squirming out of her grip and attempting to flee.

Quick as lightning, the silver haired man had me by the shoulders. I gasped in pain when I felt the right one dislocate. My heart was racing so quick I thought it would explode and every part of me was screaming _Wrong! Wring! Wrong! _I tried to squirm out of his grip too, but it didn't work. All he did was get pissed and reach out with frighteningly sharp nails to scratch at between my shoulder blades.

I gasped. Nothing I'd ever felt in my life hurt this bad, ever. It shouldn't hurt like this; there was no logical explanation. All I could feel was pain and fire and tears welling up in my eyes—I tried not to cry or scream, but it didn't work. My voice echoed off of buildings and around the streets and I could feel hot tears scorching down my cheeks. Against my will I whimpered for him to stop, not wanting to show any weakness but _needing_ the overwhelming pain and agony to stop. He did, _thank god, _and I crumpled down, my knees giving out. When I opened my eyes, which were burning with tears and humiliation and hatred, Sora's mother was right in front of me, her eyes smirking into my pain filled ones.

_Unless we get the hell out of Twilight Town, we're going to be massacred. _Sora's words echoed in my head and I started to feel like the world was closing in on me, suffocating me and making me hyperventilate. _Is this for real? I don't want to die here..._

"Shall I make your death swift or slow," she mused aloud, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "What do you think, Sephiroth?"

The silver haired guy behind me shrugged. "Personally, I'd love to torture him and hear him scream... but we're short on time." I shivered at the pure menace and evil of their voices.

"Swift, then," she agreed. Then she looked at me. I snarled back at her. "Sora is on his way here, isn't he?"

I shook my head quickly, lying my butt off.

Sephiroth growled, and Sora's mom hissed. "You liar!" she yelled, wrenching my hair back and exposing my neck. I automatically knew what was coming and my eyes widened in terror. I kicked at her with all of my strength, even though I knew there was no point. _She's a vampire, Roxas, and she has a partner. What chance do you, a pathetic little human, have? Your oddly quick healing and speed won't do anything for you today, no sir. _Still, I kicked and bit and scratched and clawed at every bit of her I could reach. Sephiroth watched, his eyes amused. My foot connected with her shin and she howled in pain. She picked me up my the shirt and threw me at least ten feet. I hit the glass booth and felt it shatter, sliding down to the ground as hundreds of tiny chunks of glass fell like rain around me. I landed palm first and felt my hand slice open, blood spurting across the pavement. My head connected with the ground, hard, and pain and dizziness swept over me.

I felt someone approaching me again and before I could even attempt to fight with what little strength I had left, I was being picked up again. My blood rolled down my hand and fell onto the pavement, staining it crimson. The ground looked like it was bleeding. Her fangs extended further, and Sephiroth's grip on me was tightening as every second passed. I knew I was going to die. My whole life flashed before my eyes, the shit that is was before, the Utopia it was when Sora came along, the complications when I found out about his true nature, and just a few moments ago, when I'd been laughing and talking with all my friends.

"Any last words?" she snarled as Sephiroth's hold got tighter to the point that I couldn't breathe. I could feel so many sarcastic remarks on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't make myself say any of them. All that I could get out was a faint whisper.

"Sora, I love you."

And then my world exploded into pain and I knew nothing.

**END FLASHBACK!**

**(AND CHAPTER MWEHEEHE)**

**Author's notes: **I really wanted to write about what happened when Roxas died. And this is what I came up with. :D Kinda pointless, eh? Ah, well... :/ Pretty please review!


	14. Chapter 14: undead

**Author's notes: **Heeeeeey guys! Sorry for not updating—y'all know the reason why—(I'm now failing science 8D) Anyways I'm posting this, but there won't be anything else for a while (again). Guess why—besides my school issues.

...

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IM GOING TO _**SPAIN**_ MOTHAFUCKAS! Tomorrow, I leave ;) ur all jealous :D

Roxas PoV

Imagine having your skin peeled off, and then jumping into a pot of boiling acid. That was how my back had felt when that silver haired vampire had hurt it. Now, every one of the veins running through me feel like that, except somehow different. The pain is so intense that tears would well up in my eyes, if I even knew how to do that. I can't feel anything except for the burning feeling that is my existence right now.

I try to scream, but I can't. I don't even know how. I feel like I'm on fire, slowly melting to ashes, but it doesn't stop. _Am I in hell? _I wonder, the thought echoing painfully in my head. _I wasn't that bad... I don't know why I'd end up...here..._

With that thought another round of venom and fire twinges through me and I writhe in pain. Or at least, I try. I don't know how to move. It's like I'm frozen in time while this merciless torture consumes me.

I think my head is going to explode from the pressure of the scream that I can't make come out of my mouth—it's like I can't control my own body!

"Where'd Sora go?" a voice asks, but I can barely hear it. It sounds like someone talking through water: low, dreamy and impossible to make out. My heart tries to skip a beat upon hearing that name—_Sora_—but I can't feel it beating.

_Of course you can't. You died. _

"He went to hunt, you know..." another voice says, this one higher. After a few moments I'm able to realize that the people talking are Axel and Xion. That makes me relieved, and confused. I'm dead. What are they doing here? Did they die too? The thought makes a thud of dull pain shoot through my still heart, making my head spin and make funny throbbing sounds.

"Ah," Axel murmurs, and I listen with all I have. Anything to distract me from this pain... "Xion, do you think he'll ever wake up? It's been a few hours..."

"I don't know, I honestly don't know," Xion says, and her voice is shaking and sounding close to tears. "He died. People don't just come back to life. Maybe we're just being ridiculous for hoping..."

Axel doesn't answer, and the room falls silent. I hate it because all I can focus on is the pain. Come on...someone talk...distract me from this hell!

"He looks different," Axel says suddenly, his voice quiet. "More...real."

Oh, thank you for talking! Hell, I love my best friend!

A door opens and footsteps fill the room I listen as well as I can through the pain.

"Is he—" a voice starts. What the hell? Zexion?

"Is it true?" Demyx interrupts.

...What the hell is going on here?

Axel whispers, "Yeah, he's dead. We didn't want to tell you."

"Why?" someone else's voice cuts in. Wait, that's familiar... oww, thinking hurts! But anyways, he sounds like that Riku guy I met a few years back. Eehhh, I never really liked him... but now I'm even more confused, and let me tell you, it doesn't feel too great when you're in this much pain. Well at least it'll distract me... I wince and the jolt that runs through my body. Xion stops what she'd been saying—something like "That's 'cause" and gasps.

"Axel! Did you see that?"

The room goes completely silent. Oh, come _on_, people, talk!

"He moved," Axel says finally, sounding completely astonished. "Didn't he?"

Wait! They're talking about me, aren't they? Am I stupid for not figuring that out sooner?

"I...think so. Roxas, can you hear me?" Xion asks gently, placing a hand on my cheek. The feeling of her skin on mine makes another jolt of sickening pain wrack through me. I feel like I might throw up. I try to tell her not to touch me, but it seems that little wince I'd managed earlier was a fluke—and it ain't happening again anytime soon.

"Can you guys just tell us what's going on?" Zexion asks calmly, sounding stony and impatient.

Yeah!

"You are the most sane person here, Zexion. You'll tell us we're crazy. You all will." Axel's answer is somewhat sad and a lot of angry.

"We still want to know." Demyx's voice is serious, and that's just damn weird.

"Yeah," agrees a new voice. Kairi?_ If she's here, Naminé must be nearby_... Sure enough, a soft voice makes a sound of agreement not a second after I think that.

"Just tell them," yet another person says, and this one makes me feel so relieved I want to cry. Another hand is placed on my cheek, but this one doesn't hurt. In fact, it seems to take all the pain away, leaving me dizzy in _not_ pain, relief coursing through every inch of my body.

"Sora..." Xion mumbles.

"I'm sick and tired of hiding shit from people. Just tell them." There's another long silence after this, in which I feel tired and _painless_. Then, just when Xion started talking, Sora takes his warm hand away, and it's like all the pain that should have been there for those precious few seconds hits me all at once—like earlier had been a tiny drop of water to create this massive hurricane of agony. The voices turn into meaningless blurs as I fight to hold onto my sanity, pressure building in my head. I feel a scream, begging to come out, but I can't make it. Tears fall out of my eyes, soaking the fluffy pillow behind me.

Finally, when I feel like I'm about to explode, my mouth finally tears open, and the most terrifying scream I've ever heard claws its way out of my throat. My eyes fly open and the room fills with screaming and panic. My veins are burning... oh god, _what is this_?

"Fuck!" Axel yells.

Tanned hands grab my arms, tightening fingers around them in panic. But no amount of Sora can make this go away. It's inside me, like some sort of demon taking over my body.

"Make it stop!" I cry, dry sobs making my chest heave through screams. My nails bite down on Sora's skin, drawing blood. The thick heat of it wets my fingers and makes my head spin. My voice sounds raspy and my throat feels ready to tear open. This thirst is like nothing I've ever felt before.

My thrashing and writhing continues as a soft pair of lips meets mine. I can barely focus on them, but they feel good. I can feel my sanity slipping away and I'm tempted just to let it go... maybe it'ss make the pain stop...

"Roxas!" Sora sobs. "Please don't let go, stay with me, _please_, Roxas!" His voice is desperate and hysterical and I try to focus on it, but it's just so hard.

"Please!" His voice is a broken, desperate sob. I feel wetness on my cheeks, and I realize it's not my tears, but his. Everyone is shocked into silence as I take a deep breath and try to stop screaming, soft whimpers escaping my lips instead. I cry silently, clinging to Sora's trembling body as though my life depended on it. After what seems like an eternity, my breathing slows and the pain fades to a dull burn, which doesn't leave my veins or throat. They feel cracked and burnt. My jaw feels like I've just gotten braces on them and then been punched in the face twice. Trust me, I'd know.

After a long silence filled with my small pants and occasional whimpers and sobs, Demyx's shaking voice breaks it. "Roxas... oh god."

"Weren't you dead?" Kairi asks, her voice filled with terror and awe.

"He looks different, I told you!" Axel says, staring at me, his eyes bright with unshed tears and joy. "The same, but god, he doesn't look human."

"You're right," Riku says slowly, and I can feel his aquamarine eyes on me. I just swallow, trying to get rid of the grossness in my throat. My eyes try to open, but I'm so tired...

"Thirsty," I whisper.

Sora makes an odd sound, and I force my eyes open. He's looking at me with those huge blue eyes, which are filled with tears. Somehow, they seem even bluer, a shade I didn't even know existed until now. His chocolate hair sways slightly as he shifts his gaze away from me. He doesn't let go of my hands, even when Axel gives him a one armed hug and whispers something like, "I told you."

I look around groggily, and I'm so shocked that I literally gasp. Everything is so...so clear and perfectly defined, the edges razor sharp. I can see every little particle of dust reflecting sunlight from the crack in the blinds. I look at my friends and notice little things that had been invisible to me—from the brightness of Axel's hair to the golden tinge to Demyx's sun kissed skin. A tiny scar on Xion's forehead, an oddly malicious glint on Zexion's eyes, and even little things in Kairi and Naminé I'd been unable to see before. Riku...looks good. Damn good, actually. Why's he so unnaturally good looking? He's like Sora, gorgeous and flawless. Damn him.

I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror and the first thing I notice is how pale I am. I mean, I'd always been pale, but now I'm whiter than an albino. My skin is the exact shade of snow and... it's even slightly sparkly when you catch it in a certain light. That's just too damn weird to dwell on, so I look at my hair: A pale gold that shines silvery. My eyes are the exact color as Sora's, an impossible mixture of azure and cerulean and baby blue and even purple. Something catches in my throat. I'm absolutely beautiful. I don't look human.

Everything is so much more defined and unreal, shades I didn't even know existed popping up in front of my eyes and things that should be impossible to see clearly visible. It's like the world has been twisted through some sort of beautiful nightmare.

"What's going on?" I whisper, unable to make my voice louder. "Can I have water? I'm really thirsty."

Riku turns to go and get some, but Sora interrupts him. "No, it's not what he needs."

Riu gives him an odd look. "He's thirsty, dude. What am I supposed to give him?"

Sora looks down at his hands. Axel, bless his crazy pyro soul, takes a hint and orders everyone to "Get the fuck out and leave the two love birds alone."

Everyone smiles and hugs me before leaving. I do my best to do the same back. When we're alone, Sora breaks down and pulls me into a huge hug. "Thank god, oh thank god—I thought I'd lost you—Roxas, you're here, baby, you're here, I'm never letting you out of my sight again, oh Roxas..." He goes on muttering sweet nothings, hugging me so hard it makes my head spin. I inhale his familiar scent and feel myself calm down even more.

"Sora..."

"Sh, please, Roxas, just let me hold you."

I nod slightly and close my eyes, losing myself in the comfort and love of his embrace. When he finally pulls away to kiss me lightly, I ask against his lips, "What happened? Why am I not dead?"

"Roxas, you are dead. You're undead. You're a vampire."

"A...vampire?" I ask slowly, unsure to react.

He nods before sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry! It was selfish—you probably don't want to be a monster that lives off of blood, but Axel and Xion convinced me. Not that it took much convincing—I need you—"

"Sora!" I cut him off. "It's not selfish, I would have done the same thing. It's just different. And I'm sparkly," I finish glumly.

He does a weird laugh/sob thing and hugs me again. "You're a full vampire, Roxas, everything about you is stronger and more beautiful now. But... all that pain... I'm so sorry!"

I don't want to let him know exactly how much pain I'd been in—he's already so upset. Instead I murmur into his neck, "Thank you, Sora. Don't worry about it. It wasn't that bad."

He kisses me again, and it's so soft and sweet and passionate that it's like there had never been any pain at all, like we're back at his house before any of this ever started. I want it to last forever, but of course it can't. I pull away, slightly tipsy and dizzy. He gazes at me with those gorgeous blue eyes shining with tears, and I can't help but give him another short peck on the lips before asking, "So, what now?"

"You need blood," he says bluntly.

"Oh." The idea makes me a little squeamish. I'm not bothered about this whole I-just-died-and-came-back-to-life thing, but I am a little iffy on the idea of drinking blood.

"I'm so sorry," Sora repeats miserably. "I hate being a half vampire, but I've made you a full one."

"Shut up, Sora. It's fine. I'm... cool with it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," I say firmly. I stare expectantly at him. "So?"

He looks back at his hands. "Well...you gave me your blood before, because I wanted it."

"Yeah," I say, unsure at what he's getting at.

"So now I'll give you mine, because you need it."

I shoot to my feet and automatically say, "I can't take your blood!"

"Why?" he asks, raising his eyebrows. "It's only fair. Plus, you're not taking it. I'm giving it to you."

"I...I...uh..." Unable to think of a good reason, I just sputter, "I d-don't know how!"

He offers his wrist. "Try."

I eye his wrist and the large vein that runs through it. I can hear the sound of his blood rushing through it and every little patter his heart does. Somehow it makes my jaw hurt even more and make me yearn for that sweet, delicious liquid...

Wait! What am I thinking? I snap out of my funk and it dimly registers in my brain that I'm sitting on his lap, my eyelids heavy and my eyes stuck on his wrist. A shudder of horrible desire shoots through my body and before I can stop myself I blurt, "Neck."

"What?"

"I want to bite it..." My head spins with want. I can s_mell_ the thick, rich smell of his blood.

"It's harder to find the vein... but you can try. Practice makes perfect." He arches his neck slightly and I moan, muzzling my face into him and inhaling. God, he smells _delicious._ What's happening to me?

His heart starts beating faster as I nibble slightly underneath his Adam's apple. I continue to explore his neck and locate the vein, taking off his shirt when it pisses me off by getting in my way. I finally locate the place where there's the most heat and my mind whirls with desire. I bite down hard.

The taste of Sora's blood explodes in my mouth. The heat and richness of it, like melted chocolate but endless times better is more delicious and more addicting than I could've ever imagined. As blood begins to pour out of the wound I'd created more quickly, a moan that I barely register as my own echoes through the room. I feel him dig his fingers into my skull and pull me down harder as I wrap my arms around his neck to hold him more firmly against me. His head tilts to the side and he lets out a very low moan that I feel more than hear. So sexy...

His hands fall from my hair to grab my ass and force my hips down to grind with his. His touch only makes the ecstasy better. My veins burst into flames of desire and without my consent my hand falls from his neck to slide down his chest and stroke the hard lump forming in his pants. Is head falls completely back and a shudder of want wracks over his body.

"Oh fuck Roxas!" he gasps, jerking his hips up in time with my hand as I suck harder at his neck. All rational thought is gone from my mind, and all I can do is use all of my newly enhanced senses to their maximum. Sora's teeth snap together with an audible clack after he lets out a very sexy moan.

"You should, aahh, stop now," he whispers, his voice breaking. His voice shoots though me, breaking the scalding hot desire that had been burning inside me.

I force my mouth away from his neck with a small gasp and meet his eyes dizzily. His breathing is heavy and his cheeks are flushed, bright eyes darkened with lust. Without a single rational thought I give I to my lust and crush our mouths together, letting his tongue in immediately. I moan loudly, rolling our hips together.

"Fuck Roxas!" he pants, and I just continue attacking him, desire and lust possessing me completely. I can't even control what I'm doing. It's like I'm stuck in my own body.

I keep getting these weird blackouts—where all I can feel is his hot skin on mine. Soon our clothes are on the floor and I'm on my back, not completely sure about how I got there, with Sora on top of me and smothering me in kisses. Hot and wild pleasure buns through me as he grabs my cock and strokes slow and hard, making me moan uncontrollably, my head falling back onto soft pillows. He puts three fingers into my mouth and whispers harshly, "Suck," and I do, making sure to coat them thoroughly.

When he pulls them out and puts one in me I scream, a twinge of pain and pleasure hitting me hard. I groan his name when he adds another, stretching me and hitting that spot deep inside me that has me losing my mind.

"Oh god, Sora!" I pant, my head falling to the side. "Please, please, fuck me!"

And he does. He shoves into me and we moan in harmony. The pain is a big amount but it doesn't bother me; it's pleasant compared to earlier. He speeds up his thrusting and I scream each time he hits my prostate, my fingers clutching and clawing blindly at his back with every time he shoves in. I feel that familiar lava bubbling in my stomach and groan, "Sora, almost there..."

"Me too," he pants, planting his hands next to me and driving in faster and harder. I grab his face for a sloppy kiss, panting like mad around his tongue, feeling ready to explode. When he touches my cock and shoves in one last time, I scream and fall off the edge I'd been barely hanging onto, cumming hard on both of our stomachs. Sora groans my name and cums into me as I lay there panting, coming down from my climax.

My eyes flutter closed as Sora collapses on top of me. I drift off as his arms circle around me amking me feel safer than I have in a long time.

**Author's notes: **PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME HOW IT WAS!


	15. Chapter 15: The truth

**Author's notes:** Okay, so this chapter is the same until the end. The plot is going to change so I can figure out what to do... hopefully you guys still like it. I personally think it's better this way!

I dedicate this chapter to my great-grandpa, who died May 15 2011. He didn't know anything about me writing and he certainly had no idea what Kingdom Hearts is, but he was a great person and I will miss him with all of my soul. Many people are sad because you have left us, but you had lived a long and healthy life and it was your time. RIP grand- papa! Je t'aime avec tout mon cœur et je suis certaine que t'es dans une meilleure place. xoxoxo

**Roxas PoV**

"I don't care, Sora, I would have done the same damn thing. I forgive you, even though there's nothing to forgive, okay?"

"B-but—"

Okay, seriously. Ever since we woke up, all naked and gross and stuff (but happier than I've ever been in my life) he's been apologizing to me. For what? "I turned you into a monster that devours blood!" he'd said, horrified when we'd woken up and I'd kissed him and our fangs had touched. Since around ten this morning (it's twelve now) I've been trying to convince him that_ I don't care_ that I'm a "monster that devours blood". I'm glad he did it. I'm glad I'm not dead anymore and I can be with the people I love, especially Sora. He just can't get it through his thick head.

"Please understand, Sora, goddamnit!" I say, sounding more than a little frustrated. He sits on the rail of Riku's front porch (which is where we'd been arguing for the past two hours), the sunlight lighting him up and making him look like a bunch of different shades of gold. "I'm perfectly okay with this! I have no problems whatsoever with being a vampire! So just. Stop. Feeling. Bad!" I pronounce every word carefully, getting closer to his face between each word.

Alright, I'm not being completely honest here. I do have a tiny problem with being a vampire. Um, yeah. Why the fuck am I sparkly? I mean, what the hell, am I fucking Edward Cullen or something?* Hell to the motherfucking no, I am _not_ like that damn pussy in the least. Why do I sparkle? Thank god it's only a teensy bit, sorta like a tiny little shine, really, but still. Goddamn it! It just gets me so mad! Sora's not sparkly, his mom wasn't sparkly, even that weird guy who vaguely looks like Riku _wasn't a mess of fucking glitter_.

It's probably because I wasn't born a vampire, right? Betcha that's what any scientist type person would say. If a scientist would get close enough to me without poking and prodding at me with needles and stuff.

"Okay," Sora says, interrupting my mental tirade. For a moment I'm relieved, thinking he's finally understanding. Then he opens his mouth. "But…"

"Oh holy fuck, shut up, Sora." I roll my eyes and kiss him hard on the lips, giving up on trying to talk him out of his guilt and resorting to force.

He begins to cry (which just breaks my still heart) so I decide to distract him from his obvious distress and prove to him that I'm fine and he should stop hating on himself. Pressing him back against the rail, I lick his bottom lip and he makes a warning noise like _not here_, but since when do I listen? Still, he opens his mouth, letting my tongue enter. His fingers tangle in my hair and he wraps his legs around my waist, moaning quietly as our tongues move against each other. He's just so beautiful, I can't help but snake a hand between his legs and grab the bulge in his pants.

"Ah!" he moans quietly, his head falling onto my shoulder. I stop, earning a pout, and he looks up at me.

"Come on, Sora, please don't be sad. You have to understand that I don't hate you in the least, you're the most special thing in the world to me. Don't cry. You're going to make_ me_ cry," I say.

"I'm not sad, now, Roxas…" he says, his heart racing, "I'm happy. You're alive again, I can touch you again. The only thing is… I wish there had been another way."

"I don't. You gave me your blood to save my life. It means a lot to me." The moment I'm done talking, he initiates a new kiss, one that leaves me breathless and dizzy.

"Roxas, I have to tell you something," he says very seriously when we come up for air.

His tone makes me curious. "What?"

"You remember that time you were t-talking to m-me and you started to say something, b-but I cut you off?"

"Uhh… like after you bit me and I got all dizzy?" Hell yes I remember. I'd been about to tell him I love him. I'm glad he cut me off, though. That wasn't the right time. I think I have a thing with "the right time". I mean, you don't just throw it out there like "Hey Sora I love you so what's up?" Yeah… no way. I know he knows that I love him and I know he loves me, but it's just... better when you say it out loud. Fuck, I don't know, okay?

"Jeeze," I continue with a frown (my inner voice really does talk too much), "I get dizzy from blood drinking a lot. I'm a shitty vampire."

"It's 'cause you're new," he says. Giggling slightly, his cheeks get even pinker as he begins to bring his face back to mine. He swallows audibly, and if my heart could beat, it would be doing jumping jacks in my chest. I can hear his, and it sounds like it's trying to jump out of his chest.

"R-Roxas, I—I lo—"

The door suddenly swings open and we jump apart, Sora nearly falling off the rail and into rose bushes. He grabs into my arm to keep his balance, at the same time accidentally pulling me in between his legs and flush against him.

Axel eyeballs Sora's teary eyes and my messed up hair, and our bruised lips and flushed cheeks. He also pays great attention to our suggestive position. He raises an eyebrow.

"Sorry," he smirks, backing up slowly.

"I-It's fine, A-Axel, don't worry about it," Sora stutters out, and then curses himself for stuttering. "We were just… talking."

Damn, I think, sort of pissed. Just a little. Couldn't Axel have waited like thirty more seconds? Making out and having intense conversations are like my favourite pastimes.

"Musta been a pretty… intense… conversation." Axel leans against the side of the door with that famous smirk of his plastered on his face. I want to punch him.

"It was," I say, letting my irritation creep into my voice.

Axel rakes a hand through his crazy spikes, actually looking apologetic. "Sorry, guys. I just came out here to tell you… to tell you…" he taps his fingers on his chin and makes a thoughtful face. I raise an eyebrow, even more annoyed.

"Oh, yeah," he says brightly, and I swear I have to hold onto Sora's hands so that I don't strangle him to death, "Xion and I told everyone the complete truth. The only one who seems to believe us completely is Zexion, but the others admit that they can't explain how you came back to life."

Sora sighs, blowing his bangs up. Goddamnit he's so cute. "Go figure. So now what?"

"I don't know…" Axel sighs as well. "Convince them or tell them it was a joke?"

"I vote to convince them, because if their lives are in danger too, they deserve to know," I cut in with a roll of my eyes. "Shouldn't be too hard."

"Plus, telling them it was a joke would just be dumb," Sora adds. I nod.

"Yeah, the thing is, well, they're all good church going people, you know? Vampires are like, demon's spawn or something," Axel says, biting his lip.

"But they're our friends. It's not as if we're different people," I protest. Then I realize completely what he'd said. "Good church going people, my ass. What the fuck are you smoking, Axel?" He grins at that, even though I know he doesn't smoke anything… anymore. "Zexion and Demyx are gay, and I'm pretty sure Kairi's slept with like a gazillion guys, and she's a huge yaoi fangirl, which is why I'm afraid to kiss Sora in front of her, I'm positive Riku's bi, and Naminé enjoys drawing dead things and witchcraft. They are so clearly _not_ good churchgoing people."

Sora makes a sound of agreement. Axel bites his lip.

"Yeah… I realized how stupid that sounded as soon as I said it."

"You sounded like a dumbass," I inform him calmly.

"Yes, well," Axel turns around, waving a hand dismissively. "I always do. You two finish up… your conversation… then come in." He wanders off without another word.

I exchange a look with Sora. He shrugs, his cheeks still slightly pink.

"He kinda killed the mood…I'll tell you later," he murmurs before disappearing into the house. After a moment I follow him.

Everyone is crowded in the spacious living room, talking animatedly. As soon as we walk in, the chatter stops like someone flipped a switch.

"Hey, guys," Axel says mildly, the only one unaffected by the silence. Of course. Idiot.

"Um. Hi," Sora mumbles, not looking at anyone and trying to hide behind my back.

"Hey," I say, grabbing Sora's hand and not letting him behind me.

Everyone mutters replies of 'hey' or 'hi'. I frown. Seriously, what's their damage? It's only been like a few hours since we were all at the juvie hall visiting Axel. Do I have, like, blood on my mouth or something? I lick my lips and teeth. Nothing, thank god. Do I smell like sex? No, I don't think so. I'd be able to smell something.

Oh jeeze. I know what they're staring at. It's my damn Edward Cullen- ness. Damn it. I _hate_ Twilight. Oh well. It could be worse... At least I don't look like someone bedazzled me with a bunch of freaking gems. And I look groomed and clean.

I notice that Xion and Zexion are standing on one side of the room with Axel, while the rest of my friends are sitting on the other. It sort of looks like they're having some sort of debate. Oooh, politics. I hate 'em.

"What's up?" I ask, trying to break the ice.

Demyx speaks up first. "They," he points to Axel and Xion, "are trying to tell us you're undead and our lives are in jeopardy, and that Sora's half vampire, half human, and the reason our lives are in jeopardy is because his psychotic vampire mother wants to kill everyone that's become special to him." He sounds reasonably calm for someone who just got told that.

"They're not lying," I tell him. "She killed me." I make a face after. That had felt very weird to say.

"It's not possible!" Riku yells. "Dying and coming back to life— it doesn't happen!"

"Um… you watched it happen, Riku," I point out, gesturing to all of my glorious sparkliness. (Three words: Fuck My Life. Un-life? Whatever.) The silveret frowns but doesn't reply, not meeting my eyes.

"Zexy, you're the most sensible person here, and you're buying this?" Demyx looks at his boyfriend pleadingly. He's scared, I realize. He wants to believe it but he's too scared. I can't blame him. I probably would have kicked Axel in the balls if he came up to me and said, "Hey, Xion and I are vampires and you're gonna die because someone wants to kill you because you've become special to me. So, what's up?"

Yeah. I might have murdered him.

Anyway…

"Yes, I'm buying it, because it's true," Zexion deadpans, folding his arms. His violet eyes gleam from underneath his slate coloured bangs. "Everything supernatural is."

"This isn't one of your goddamn books, Zexion!" Riku snaps. "This is real fucking life!"

"I know it is, Riku. I wasn't born yesterday," Zexion replies coolly, somehow making it sound like he'd been born a loooong time ago. Riku's words did not affect him in the least. I look at the pissed off face Riku is sporting and almost laugh. I'd never really liked him.

Kairi and Naminé seem extremely bored. "We're leaving while you guys discuss this. Because as far as we're concerned, they're telling the truth. Why would they lie?" Kairi says while examining her pink nails.

Everyone stares at them like they're bonkers.

"Plus," Kairi continues, completely oblivious, "Roxas and Sora make EXTREMEMLY sexy vampires." Her eyes light up as Sora and I look at each other and flush slightly. "Omigosh, Nams, can you imagine how fucking hot it would be if they drank each other's blood and fu—" She cuts herself off as Naminé elbows her in the side, spotting Sora and I as we die of embarrassment.

"Why are you guys staring at us?" Naminé asks in her soft voice, the only one out if the two to notice everyone staring at them with their jaws dropped.

"Nothing, nothing, thank you for giving your opinion," Xion says hurriedly. "See you two later."

When they leave, Sora clears his throat awkwardly and says, "Wow… wasn't expecting that one."

Everyone giggles, which makes me think maybe this won't turn out so bad after all.

But then Demyx sighs. "I don't know what to think. Kairi's right, why would you lie, but it's so hard to believe something that's impossible."

Riku nods, running his fingers through his weird but totally awesome silver hair. "It just doesn't happen. It's unnatural."

Axel and Xion go on to explain that yes, it's unnatural, but no, it's not impossible, there's living (or undead) proof, standing over there like an idiot. I get the urge to grin and wave, but figure I'd just look stupid. Instead I just stand there with my hands in my pockets and whistle softly. I'm pretty sure I still look like an idiot. Oh well.

"Can't you see how different Roxas looks from before?" Xion asks. "Both him and Sora look unnaturally gorgeous."

"Why, thank you," Sora purrs at the same time as me. Everyone rolls their eyes.

"Yeah, but…" Riku's voice begins to protest, but I don't hear the rest, because I quickly tune the conversation out.

I notice Sora staring at Zexion strangely. I nudge him slightly, whispering, "What?"

Sora doesn't take his eyes off of Zexion, who is watching the bickering silently, expressionless as ever. "Remember, he said 'It's true. Everything supernatural is.' earlier? He sounded so certain. Almost like… he knows."

I stare at Zexion as well, remembering when I'd seen something weird sparkling in his light purple eyes. Something that had seemed almost inhuman, but I'd just written it off as bottled up emotions. 'Cause seriously, this guy is so calm it's scary. I worry about him sometimes.

As if sensing us, Zexion turns his eyes onto us. There it is, again. How had I never noticed it before?

"Something on my face?" he asks.

Sora strolls over to him somewhat cockily. I almost laugh as I follow.

"What did you mean when you said that everything supernatural is real?" Sora demands bluntly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zexion replies coolly.

"Cut the shit," I say tersely as Sora sighs exasperatedly, "We're not stupid, Zexion."

Zexion seems to realize we're not giving up. His eyes flicker to where Xion, Axel, Riku and Demyx are arguing. Then he inclines his head towards the door.

"Let's go outside," he suggests but it sounds more like an order. I frown and look at Sora. He shrugs before following after Zexion. We leave unnoticed.

Zexion keeps walking and walking. It's actually annoying me. I stop and say, "Seriously, can we just talk here? I'm tired of walking."

"Lazybones," Zexion muttered, but stopped. And stood there. And didn't talk.

"Um, soooo," Sora started slowly, like Zexion was gonna attack or something, "wanna explain what you needed to take us out here so far for?"

"I just wanted to make sure that no one would come while we were talking... like Riku." I want to ask why he'd mentioned Riku specifically, but just let Zexion continue. "Anyway, I guess I can tell you guys. But you can_not_ tell_ anyone_, got it?"

Sora and I nod like a couple of bobbleheads. Zexion silently opens his mouth. At first, I was sure my face was like WTF but then I notice something. His canines are long. And they kept getting longer. Finally, they stop when they're making small indents on his lower lip, and he just stares at us with his visible eye.

Sora is the first one to react. He gasps. "You're a vampire, Zexion?"

"Yes. But I was changed like Roxas."

It's probably stupid for me to ask, but I demand, pushing him towards a patch of sunlight, "Do you sparkle too?"

Zexion stares at me like I'm an idiot, which I suppose I am, but still. I don't want to be the only glittery freak. "I don't, actually."

I stop. "Damnit! What the hell!"

Sora snorts. "You're a special case, Roxas." His tone implies _in more ways than one._ I huff.

"There is actually something else I wanted to talk to you about." Zexion's voice is serious. A lot more serious than usual, and it sounds like he's about to say something _very_ important. We wait quietly and Zexion says, "Look, I know this is probably very sudden and you might end up hating me. But please listen quietly and I'll answer questions when I'm finished, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, Zexion clears his throat. "Sora, do you remember that silver haired vampire that attacked you?"

Sora nods. Zexion goes on, "Well... he's the one who brought me back." My eyes widen and I hear Sora gasp, but Zexion raises his hand. "Let me finish." And so reluctantly, we do. "He's my master, technically. You are forever bound to the one who brought you back. But Sephiroth is an evil and insane vampire, one of the most powerful ones alive. All he thinks about is killing and slaughter and _horrible_ things that you can't _imagine_." He shudders. "So I ran away and thought I'd never hear of him again. But as soon as Sora came into our class, I knew without a doubt I was going to see him and see him_ soon_. Because, you see, Sephiroth had someone he wanted. He didn't love her, he just _wanted_ her.

This woman had a husband, whose name was Cloud. She loved him dearly and even though they were entirely different beings, wanted to spend the rest of their eternal lives together."

"Wait," I cut in. "'Their'? What was Cloud?"

Zexion purses his lips, obviously displeased that I'd interrupted. "Cloud was an angel, who'd been banned from his land when he fell in love with a vampire. He was willing to give up his wings for his love. They were happy...

But Sephiroth wasn't. He would have that woman, no matter what. Day by day, he slowly started to possess the woman, until she became violent and abusive towards Cloud, who had a really bad temper. Very much like you, Roxas... Anyways. Sephiroth twisted her until she hated Cloud and everything he stood for and began desiring Sephiroth. After an argument, Cloud left her. He wouldn't stand for any abuse from her, even though she'd been the one he'd given up everything for. About a year passed and then Cloud found someone who reminded him of her, before she'd lost her mind and everything had fallen apart. They fell in love and soon had a child, a baby boy. He learned that the one who'd left him had also given birth to a baby boy and found it ironic that they were born near the same time." He pauses, and I swallow.

Ever since he'd said that Cloud and his lover had had a baby boy, a strange feeling of recognition had been bubbling in my stomach. Sora's eyes were wide too.

"Zexion..." he whispers. "The woman Sephiroth wanted... what was her name?"

"Aerith," Zexion responded, looking down. "Your mother, Sora."

"A-and so... Sephiroth... is my _dad_?" Sora demands, his face pale. I grab his elbows, since he looks ready to pitch forward in a dead faint. I don't feel too great myself.

Zexion nods, a sympathetic look on his face. "And Roxas..."

"Cloud is my dad, isn't he?" I ask before he can say anything. "Why'd he leave?" My voice breaks and I feel like I might throw up. Did he know how hard it had been to arrive home everyday to a beating? To have to sleep outside in the winter because she was so drunk she couldn't tell my head from a punching bag? To have to limp my way all the way to Axel's and have to _lie_ about why I was bleeding and bruised and crying? My childhood had been filled with pain and hatred all because my dad left and my mom lost her mind. "_Why'd he_ _leave_?" I demand again, my voice hoarse and thick with tears that sting in the corners of my eyes.

Zexion grimly answered, "Aerith killed him. She saw him with Tifa, your mother, and lost it. She was convinced that he must love her and _only _her, and to see him with another woman made her so furious she killed him. She tore his throat out right in front of Tifa, who was waiting at the front door with you for him to arrive home from work."

I close my eyes, trying not to cry. My heart, though it doesn't beat, feels like it's been ripped out, thrown to the floor and stomped on by the evil vampire that had started this all. "This... is all Sephiroth's fault. I...I could have had a normal childhood... had a _family_..."

"There's one thing this doesn't explain," Sora says, trembling like a leaf. "Why does she want to kill me and all my friends?"

"Sora..." Zexion says slowly, like he's trying to find the right words in his mind. "Your mother... she's completely insane and lost. She believes you are somehow Cloud's child... and like she wanted him to die, she wants you to die. She'll go to any lengths to have you dead."

"Oh god," Sora mutters weakly. "I can't believe this..."

"But what about me?" I ask. "I actually _am_ Cloud's kid." _Cloud._ It feels weird saying that. Like I'm talking about a stranger.

"She doesn't know you exist, Roxas. Well, she does now. But she doesn't know you are Cloud's child...even though you look like him."

"So... she thinks I'm just some random kid, then?"

"Some random kid precious to Sora," Zexion corrects. "That is the only reason she and Sephiroth killed you, because they knew it would break Sora's heart."

"We have to get rid of Sephiroth." The statement seems oddly calm and out of place in this conversation, but I felt the need to say it out loud.

"There's one more thing," Zexion says.

"Fuck, what else?" Sora says warily, his face stuffed into my neck. I hum in agreement, not sure whether I should be pissed, sad, or what. My emotions are just on a rollercoaster right now.

"Riku is Sephiroth's little brother. But!" Zexion says loudly, seeing Sora and I start to panic, "But. I don't know whether he's on their side or ours. Just be careful of him," he warns.

Damnit, I _knew_ there was something about Riku I didn't like!

"Zexion," I ask, hesitating slightly because I kind of felt like an idiot, "Um... I think there's something with Axel, too. Like he can control fire..."

Zexion shrugs. "I don't know. I've heard of people who can control the elements, you know, earth, wind, water, fire... He may be one of those, if he can control fire, as you say."

I don't say anything except, "I see." Sora is still shaking and I'm pretty sure he's in danger of fainting, so I haul him onto my back piggy-back style.

"So, uh, stupid question," Sora mumbles. "Does Roxas have that little sparkle thing goin' on because he's part angel?"

Zexion shrugs. "I don't know. I'm no expert, I was just telling you guys what I heart from Sephiroth when I was still his servant."

Swallowing past the lump that seems to have permanently lodged itself in my throat, I mutter, "I'm gonna bring Sora back. Thanks for telling us, Zexion, it cleared up a lot of questions." Zexion nods once, looking concerned, and starts silently walking behind me.

Having those questions answered doesn't feel as great as I'd thought it would.

~0~

**Author's notes: **I know this isn't a good place to cut off a chapter, but it was getting kinda long. Review and tell me if the story looks like it's going better, please? I might actually be able to finish this now, and that makes me happier than you know... Oh yeah, and did either of them say "I love you" yet? D: if they did, PLEASE TELL ME SO I CAN GO FIX IT! :D


	16. Chapter 16: Pancakes and evil vampires

**Author's notes: **Okay, second chapter that I rewrote :)

**Sora's PoV**

**A week later**

"Are those PANCAKES?" I hear Axel yell from the kitchen as I walk down the stairs in Riku's mansion, which doesn't feel safe anymore. I can't relax ever since we talked to Zexion. The scent of freshly baked food wafts through the entire first floor. The sound of pots and pans clanging with other dishes is loud and clear, and the comfortable atmosphere is grows more evident with every step I take. Sucks how I don't feel comfortable at all.

"Yeah, with chocolate chips," Roxas's silky voice replies. "Take more than three and I vill suck your blooood!"

I laugh as I enter the kitchen and see Roxas wearing an apron that says 'kiss the cook'. Flour is covering most of his visible snow white skin, making him look even paler in contrast. He's holding a like a sword at Axel, fake glaring as said pyro laughs his head off and helps himself to four. He happily grabs the syrup and pours an unhealthy amount onto his pancakes, humming distractedly.

Roxas rolls his eyes, turning back to the stove, and murmurs, "Fat ass."

Axel, who is actually a walking toothpick, chucks a chunk of pancake at Roxas, who ducks without even looking. The food falls to the floor, and Roxas picks it up, saying nothing the whole time. Axel glares at him in an amused way.

"Vampire reflexes," Roxas says smugly when he returns to the stove. Axel scowls and takes a huge bite of pancake. It's kinda alarming how big his mouth can get...

"Hey, guys," I say, smiling because of how cute Roxas looks.

His bright blue gaze snaps up to meet my cerulean one and he grins too. "'Morning. I made pancakes," he gestures to a giant stack of food on the large marble counter.

"I can see that," I laugh, leaning against the wall. The pancakes look delicious, perfectly golden and not burnt in the least. Too bad I'm not hungry. "Nice apron," I add, earning a quiet laugh from Axel.

Roxas snorts out laughter and goes back to whisking another batch of pancake batter. I wonder why he's making so many. Even the back of him is cute. The back of his grey skinny jeans are also covered in flour, along with his scruffy blue converse. I wonder how he managed that.

"I'm a messy cook," he says suddenly, reading my mind once again. "Used to get in trouble for that," he murmurs, looking down. I frown and open my mouth to say something, when footsteps interrupt me.

"You look cute, Roxas," Xion remarks as she enters the kitchen after me, taking one pancake and sitting next to Axel. She takes a bite and looks over to Roxas, who was watching her eat his creation uncertainly "This is great!" Xion exclaims. "I didn't know you could cook, Roxie!"

"Neither did I," Roxas admits, seeming relieved that she liked the food. "And thanks."

"Good morning, sunshine!" a deep voice sings from behind me. I detach myself from the wall and look back, only to get tackled into a flying hug by a tall blonde guy. I land on the ground, my lungs completely unable to move because of the huge form on top of me.

"Demyx!" I gasp. "I… can't… breathe!"

Demyx giggles and gets off of me. I stand up and put my hand on his shoulder to steady myself, gasping for air.

"You're an… idiot…" I tell him, shaking my head. He grins and skips over to the tower of golden pancakes. He forks eight onto a porcelain plate, then heads over to the large dinner table as if it were perfectly normal. I just stare at him, because I've never seen so much on a single plate or someone with so much energy in my life.

"Careful, don't take too many," Axel warns, "or Roxas 'vill suck your blooood'!" The redhead laughs as he dodges a flying pancake mix covered whisk from Roxas.

Demyx's jade eyes widen in shock for a moment. Realization dawns on his face and just shakes his head and laughs it off, taking a seat next to Axel. Demyx pours so much maple syrup onto his pancakes that it starts to look like soup.

Zexion walks into the kitchen and stops next to me.

"Good morning," he says quietly, looking lost in his thoughts as always.

"Hey," I say. "You should eat some of Roxas's pancakes. Apparently they're very good."

Zexion nods tiredly and looks over at his boyfriend, who grins goofily back. I wonder briefly what's wrong with Zexion... he seems really out of it. Then I realize that he's probably stressed out of his mind. After all, his evil master is back from wherever he went to and planning to kill us all. Pretty rip-your-hair-out worthy if you ask me.

"Do you really need that much syrup?" Zexion asks, making his way over to the plates and pancakes.

Demyx frowns. "You're right, Zexy." He grabs the silver pitcher again. "I need more."

Zexion sighs and forks two pancakes onto his plate. "Hopeless."

His comment earns a new round of laughter. Naminé joins us, her sketchbook clutched to her chest. She's wearing her usual short white dress, walking around barefoot. She sort of looks like an angel herself. She smiles crookedly at our behaviour. For the first time, she's without Kairi.

"Where's your twisted sister?" Roxas asks, putting my thoughts into words.

Naminé looks at the cieling towards Riku's room with a small smile. "Kairi spent the night with Riku."

"Ooh," Axel says under his breath after swallowing a large mouthful. "I knew those sounds were not animals in the forest. I KNEW it. Animals don't make sounds like that." He grins triumphantly. "They're going to hear about this."

Xion pokes him with her fork. "Well, you shouldn't be talking. You're not the most quiet person either, you know."

Axel makes a kissy face at her, but doesn't reply. I smile, having a random moment of fuzziness and joy. I just love my friends. They're so… perfectly retarded. They accepted me so quickly, which is something only one person had ever done in my life: Roxas.

"Did you guys have sex?" Demyx asks, giggling like a little girl and dropping some syrup onto his pants. Zexion shakes his head and sighs. He grabs a napkin and wipes it up, making the blonde blush and start choking slightly.

Axel gives Demyx the weirdest look as he thumps the coughing blonde on the back. "Well, duh," he says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Demyx regains his breath and giggles some more, elbowing Zexion, who smiles the smallest smile ever. The blonde proceeds to start singing, "Xion and Axel sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"He has officially consumed too much sugar," Zexion murmured.

"Hey, you gonna eat or what?" Roxas's voice asks from right next to me. I turn my head to see him staring at me with his eyebrows raised, pointing the spatula at me. His apron is just so darn cute that I can't help but smile. "Or are you just going to stand there smiling?"

"I'm not really hungry," I say, then spot his murderous look, "but I'll eat some."

Roxas smiles. "Good," he says, turning back around. I grab his wrist and pull him towards me.

"Hey, what're you—"

I give him a short peck on the lips. He stares at me like I'm mental as Axel whistles. Roxas and I both give him the finger at the same time, earning a round of laughter from everyone in the kitchen.

"Double whammy, Axel," Demyx says.

"Ah, shut up," Axel replies, stuffing half a pancake into the blonde's laughing mouth.

"I'm not complaining, but… why on earth did you just kiss me?" Roxas whispers.

"Kiss the cook," I explain, not letting him go.

"Oh, I see," he murmurs, his lovely lips quirked up slightly at the corners. He intertwines our fingers and leans forward, brushing his lips against mine. I close my eyes, smiling as he slides his tongue past my lips. He tastes like flour and chocolate today.

"GET A ROOM!" Demyx yells, throwing a random object at my head. Jeeze, these people need to stop throwing things around!

"Yeah, we're in a kitchen," Axel adds. "You don't make out in a kitchen. Got it memorized?"

Roxas giggles devilishly, pulling away. I sigh happily and grab some pancakes. I take a seat next to Naminé, who's drawing in her sketchbook. It's a picture of every one of us, sitting together in a  
large meadow. It looks so real, for a minute I could almost see us talking and laughing, our hair blowing in a nonexistent wind. And she did it all with a pencil... crazy.

"That's amazing," I tell her.

Naminé looks up at me, startled. Her pencil nearly drops from her fingers. "Really?"

I nod. "Amazing doesn't even begin to describe it. It looks so real! You captured everyone's personalities perfectly. I mean, that looks exactly like me. You even got Zexion's depressed look right! It's just… wow."

Zexion shoots me a reproachful look. "I'm not depressed," he says. I stick my tongue at him.

Naminé smiles shyly. "Thank you."

"No problem. Hey, I have a request."

Her eyes light up. "Like what?"

"When this is all blown over, would you help me paint a mural? I have the outline, but I suck at painting." I look at her expression. It's like I'd just told her she'd won the lottery.

"Of course, I'd love to!" she squeals, getting up and hugging me then running up the stairs, squealing about a bunch of art techniques that I know nothing about.

"What did you tell her?" Roxas asks as he slips into Naminé's deserted seat. "It looks like you just told her she won a million dollars."

I grin, because that's exactly what I'd thought she'd looked like. "I asked her if she would help me paint that mural. You know, the one on my wall?"

"That's generally where murals are, yes," he laughs. "You mean the one that kind of looks like a keyblade?"

I look at him, pretending to be horrified. "KIND OF looks like? I spent months perfecting that!" Actually, it was roughly an hour, but you know.

He chuckles but doesn't answer, just pours some syrup onto his food. He sighs contentedly after taking a bite.

"Man, I'm good," he says. Yes, you are, I want to say, but I don't need Axel to chuck something at me. Especially since he's now holding a knife to cut a pancake.

Demyx whoops. "Hell yeah I've never tasted pancakes this good they're awesome you gotta teach me how to make them because I want to eat them every day because they're so amazing—"

"No more sugar for you," Zexion says, cutting a bouncing Demyx off mid-sentence/paragraph. The blond pouts but it doesn't last for long. He's soon smiling again as he finishes his pancakes and helps himself to three more.

I stare at his slim waist in wonder. "Where did that all go?"

"No idea, but all I know is I'm starving!" he exclaims, pouring a waterfall of syrup onto his plate.

Roxas grabs the pitcher out of his hands. "No fucking way you consuming any more sugar."

"Yeah, you're already like an ADHD child on crack, no need for a sugar high," Kairi giggles as she shuffles into the kitchen, wearing a thin pink muscle shirt and shorts.

Axel whistles. Xion slaps him across the face, but that doesn't stop him from telling Kairi, "I always thought you were loud, but shit, last night took the cake."

"OMIGOD CAKE WHERE?" Demyx screams, hopping up and looking around frantically, making everyone laugh. Xion almost falls off of her chair in a giggle fit, grabbing onto Axel's arm to keep her balance. Zexion, who is giggling in a most un-Zexion like way, grabs his boyfriend's sleeve and tugs him back into his seat, explaining that there is no cake. The disappointed look on Demyx's face is priceless.

Kairi's face turns the same shade as her dark red hair. She groans and puts a pancake on her plate. How many of those things did Roxas make, anyway? There's like a never ending supply.

"I told him it wasn't a good idea to give you the room next to his. I told him. He said, 'aw it's no big deal, he's pretty deaf.' Not deaf enough." She growls at the end, flicking her dark hair irritably over her shoulder.

"He hears things he shouldn't all the time, it's quite annoying," Zexion murmurs.

Axel smirks and gets up, placing his plate in the sink. "I'm going back to sleep. I feel feverish and I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, thanks to someone—hey, don't throw knives!" he yells at Kairi as he narrowly dodges a sharp blade. "It's not nice!"

Riku walks in, yawning and running his fingers through his sheer hair. "Food?" he asks groggily.

Roxas laughs nervously. It's been really weird around Riku lately. I mean, he's Sephiroth's brother and he could be a spy! I never let my guard down around him... just in case.

"Yeah. Sorry for making your kitchen a mess." Roxas looks down at himself. "And your apron. I'll need to use your washing machine."

"Mmm, it's cool, I don't care, it's not mine," he yawns again. "Shit, I'm tired."

Kairi blushes some more when Riku's aquamarine eyes fall on her face. He grins slowly at her. I force myself not to storm over to him and yank his mouth open to check for fangs. She smiles back, all the while dying of humiliation as we all stare at them.

"Well," Demyx says after a while, breaking the awkward silence, "I spotted a Rockband guitar earlier. I'm gonna go play."

"How are you done eating?" I demand. He's so skinny! I can't even eat that much, and I'm a half fricking vampire! Jeeze, Roxas is like supernatural galore, fallen angle, vampire, and even _he_can't eat like that. Demyx should be a new kind of species or something.

"I use up a lot of energy," Demyx replies, skipping away.

When he leaves, Zexion sighs in relief. "I thought he was gonna make me sing again."

"Hey babe, can you sing?" Demyx's voice yells from the living room.

Xion giggles. "Nice timing," she says as Zexion sighs and goes after Demyx. "I'll go watch, but I'm not doing anything. I'm not feeling too good…" she puts a hand on her stomach and makes a face.

"What's wrong?" Kairi asks worriedly, snuggling up to Riku's chest.

Xion shrugs. "It's probably a stomach flu. I just feel nauseous and stuff," she mumbles, following Demyx and Zexion.

This leaves Riku, Kairi, Roxas and me. Kairi is watching Xion walk away anxiously. So is Roxas. I exchange a look with Riku, trying not to let my uneasiness for him show. He shrugs.

"Axel's not feeling good either," Kairi says sadly. "Did you see how flushed he was? I think he has a fever. Xion too, she looked about ready to throw up."

Riku flickers his aquamarine eyes onto the auburn headed girl on his lap. "Come on, Kai," he says soothingly. "They're fine. They probably just caught a bug."

Kairi nods slowly. "You're right. Or, they're probably suffering from stress. I mean, really, they just found out two of their friends are vampires. Yeah, that's why," she says brightly. It sounds like she's rying to convince herself more than us. "Let's go watch that movie we started last night before—yeah." Her cheeks flush again.

They bid Roxas and I farewell, and when I say farewell, I mean literally. That's exactly what they said. Freaks…

"Okay, either he's _not_ evil or he's a scary good actor," I say as soon as they're out of earshot."I wish I knew. It pisses me off, having to stay in this house when we don't even know if we're safe here or not."

"I know. We're just gonna have to deal." Roxas stretches next to me. "I feel so, like domesticated or something. I mean, really," he plays with his pink apron, "I'm wearing a freaking APRON."

"And you're going to do some laundry," I remind him.

"Laundry," he echoes. "Is it even normal that I'm looking forward to doing that? I'm not sure it's healthy."

"It's because after all of what's been going on, it's so normal," I tell him, supressing a laugh.

"Yeah…" He sits up straight. "There's been no sign of your mom or Sephiroth for a few days now. Maybe they realized how stupid they are and gave up." His voice was sarcastic and he sighed, slouching down in his chair again.

"Maybe," I say, equally sarcastic. They're waiting, probably grouping up a whole bunch of vamps or whatever it is that evil vampires who want to kill their kid and his friends do in their spare time. Sephiroth and Aerith... such terrible people. I shiver, as I did every time the name "Sephiroth" was mentioned. It disgusts me that such a horrible creature was related to me. It makes me feel gross and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

"Earth to Sora." Roxas waves a hand in front of my face, interrupting my thoughts.

I shake myself out of it and look at him, trying not to look too lost. "Sorry, what?"

Roxas snorts, then rolls his eyes. "Never mind. Hey," he adds thoughtfully, "what do you think is wrong with Xion?"

"I don't know. She's probably just stressed," I tell him reassuringly before standing up to put my plate in the sink.

Roxas follows and mumbles, "I guess so."

"Come on, angel," I say, wanting to distract him. "Let's go watch them make idiots of themselves."

He laughs. "All right."

We make our way to the living room. Apparently Axel decided not to go back to sleep after all, since he's making out with Xion on the couch. I ignore this, because come on, I just finished eating. Naminé is sketching quietly in the corner as usual. She looks up as we walk in and smiles at me. I grin back, giving her a thumbs up. She smiles wider and goes back to her picture.

"Zexy, pleasepleaseplease… sing!"

I hear Roxas giggle quietly and look up to see Demyx on one knee in front of Zexion, clutching the slate haired man's hand as though asking for marriage. His oceanic jade eyes are wide and I feel a funny thing in my stomach, sort of like I did when Roxas asked about Axel's fire yesterday. I stuff it back in the uninhabited corners of my mind.

"Please?" Demyx begs. Zexion's pale skin flushes lightly as he raises his violet eyes to the ceiling.

"Dem…" he murmurs, "I suck at singing."

"No, you don't," Demyx protests, "you sound like the lead singer from Faber Drive!"

Zexion sighs and smiles slightly as Demyx kisses the back of his hand, all the while giving him huge puppy dog eyes. Calmly Zexion says, "Fine." Then he adds hastily, "But only for a couple songs."

Demyx jumps up and whoops. He kisses Zexion on the cheek before turning on the wii and grabbing the guitar. I notice Zexion's frown and blush deepen as he mumbles, "Faber Drive. Like hell I sound like that."

Biting back a smile, I flop down on the floor, seeing as I don't really want to sit beside Axel and Xion as they make out, and the other chairs look like torture devices. Roxas pulls up one of these  
chairs next to me and goes to get the drum set. "I'll drum," he says as he untangles a mess of cords.

I stare at him, surprised. "You can play the drums?"

"Roxas is a beast!" Axel exclaims from his perch underneath Xion. "He's probably the best drummer I've ever met."

"I'm probably the only drummer you've ever met, Axel," Roxas says  
quietly, but he's grinning.

Axel thinks for a minute. "Reno can drum," he says thoughtfully. "But mostly he used that on me."

Staring at Axel, I can't imagine someone beating on him. He looks like the type to beat you to a pulp if you even look at him the wrong way. I've never seen him without his beat up studded leather jacket, and his eyes are just menacing above those upside down teardrops tattooed on his cheeks.

He kind of looks like the guy that would play an assassin if my life was a movie.

"Okay, Sora, can you do bass so we can have a full band?" Demyx asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"Uh, sure," I answer without thinking.

Demyx tosses a Rockband guitar at me, which I almost don't catch. Feeling like a complete idiot, I tell them, "Wait, I'm going to suck. I've never played before."

"You'll do fine. Go on easy. If you can't do it, I'll help you," Demyx says reassuringly.

"Okay," I agree reluctantly. This is going to fail epically. Demyx scrolls through the songs and chooses 'Are you gonna be my girl?' by Jet. He goes on expert, as does Roxas. Zexion sighs and sits gracefully down on the other side of me.

"You're not the only one going on easy, don't feel bad," he deadpans.

I nod. "Thanks," I say, but I still feel kind of embarrassed, even though no one's laughing. Roxas taps me on the head with a drumstick. I glare at him.

"Ow."

He rolls his azure eyes and says, faking anxiety, "I'm sorry, love. Forgive me."

"Fine. Now what do you want?"

"You're holding the guitar wrong," he tells me apologetically.

"Seriously?" I demand, looking down at myself, then at the blonde mullet haired guitarist setting up the wii. "But I'm holding it exactly like Demyx!"

"Demyx is left handed." Zexion cracks a smile. "Hold it like this." He corrects my position, still smiling that tiny smile. "There ya go."

"Thanks," I mutter, almost dying of embarrassment. This just brings my patheticness up to a whole new level.

The song starts, and I stare at the screen. Shit. How the hell does this work? I glance at Demyx, and try to copy his movements, but he's moving his fingers so fast it's hard to tell what he's doing. My part of the screen turns red. Damnit, do I fail.

"Just concentrate on your notes, Sora," Roxas says loudly over the sound of him banging the plastic drums.

"I can't, I don't know how," I say, frantically pressing buttons.

"Just try," Demyx tells me. "If you fail, I'll save you."

"Gee, thanks," I say sarcastically. I try to block out the loud drum sound and Zexion's raspy voice, which by the way, sounds almost exactly like Faber Drive. It's tricky, but eventually I'm hitting more notes than missing. I feel a surge of triumph as the song ends.

"I got seventy eight percent!" I exclaim happily. "Most gutsy!"

Roxas snickers at my enthusiasm. I look at his score.

"Bastard, you got a hundred percent!" I fake glare at him.

"So did Demyx," he says, grinning coyly.

"Bastard," I repeat, giggling.

"Don't feel bad, I only got ninety two," says Zexion, elbowing me slightly. I stick my tongue out at him once again, because I'm very mature. He doesn't notice Axel sneaking up behind him. The pyro grins and puts a finger over his lips, mouthing "Shh!" Roxas covers up a snicker with a cough, and Demyx is too busy choosing a new song to notice. I compose my face in a calm way and murmur, "It's my first time playing. That's why I suck."

"Sure, sure," Roxas says, playing along. "You keep on believing that."

"Shut up, Roxas," I advise him.

"Don't use my catchphrase on me," he protests, hiding a smile as Axel slowly bends down behind Zexion, who is watching us and looking amused.

"Your catchphrase?"

"'Shut up, Sora.'"

"Ohhh, yeah—"

"BOOOO!" Axel yells. Zexion shrieks and whirls around, flinging the microphone at Axel's head. It connects and Axel falls down, laughing uncontrollably. Roxas and I quickly join in, and eventually Zexion gets past his shock and does too. Demyx's looks around, a blank expression on his face.

"What did I miss?" he demands.

"Axel scared Zexy—and got a mic thrown at his head!" Roxas says between gasps for air.

Zexion, laughing harder than I'd ever seen, adds, "Look, he's crying!"

We all stare at the red head, who's laughing so hard tears are streaming from his eyes, smudging his black charcoal eyeliner. Something crazy possesses me and I jump on top of him.

"Ah, S-Sora!" he gets out between gasps and fits of laughter, "W-what're you d-doing?"

I grin like a maniac and tickle his sides. His poison eyes widen, making him look more like a raccoon than ever. Soon, he's practically bawling from laughing so hard."S-stop!" he laughs, trying weakly to push me off. I grin wider and tickle harder.

"Tickle fest!" Demyx yells, throwing his guitar aside and tickling Axel's tummy. Axel howls and shoves and kicks, but he's no match for us. Roxas and Zexion soon join in, and we all tickle Axel mercilessly.

"Payback for scaring the shit out of me!" Zexion yells, attacking Axel's neck.

Axel can't answer, because damn is he laughing hard. I vaguely hear Xion and Naminé giggling in the background.

While I'm tickling his Axel's hips, I accidentally brush a sliver of bare skin. Red hot pain suddenly shoots up my finger and I pull away immediately.

"Fuck!" I hiss.

Zexion looks at me, pausing in his Axel torturing. "What's wrong?"

"I…" I'm not sure what to say without sounding like I'm crazy. Then again, this is Zexion. He'd believe me. Knowing he'd hear me, I whispered at a barely audible level, "His skin… it burnt me." I look at my finger. It's bright red and throbbing slightly with a dull pain. "Literally."

Zexion raises an eyebrow and looks toward where Demyx and Roxas are still tickling Axel. He shrugs.

"Could be a coincidence," he says quietly so that only I can hear, "but I doubt it."

"You… you don't think…" I say weakly. Zexion nods.

"If Roxas saw him controlling fire, and he literally burnt you, I'd say there's a pretty good chance he's a fire user, don't you? I mean, I'm no expert, but it could be."

"I guess you're right," I respond. "Strange things are happening lately, why not add this to it?"

Zexion nods miserably. "We have to kill Sephiroth. Life won't be the same as it was before, but it'll be a lot less strange."

_Tell me about it. _Not in the mood to tickle Axel any longer, I simply watch Roxas attack his best  
friend. It's such a sweet sight I smile. Watching them shows just how good of friends they are.

"Shit, Axel, you're HOT!" Roxas squeals suddenly, jumping slightly.

"Thank you," Axel responds very seriously, panting slightly and obviously relieved that Roxas was giving him a break. "I've always thought that too."

Roxas laughs. "Idiot, I meant your skin." He touches Axel's bare waist, hissing at the contact. "Fuck!" Looking at Roxas's red fingers, Axel raises an eyebrow.

"Holy shit," he says interestedly, placing his palm underneath his shirt. "I don't feel anything."

"Are you shitting me?" I exclaim, crawling over to them. I show them my burnt fingertip. "Axel, it's like you're on fire."

"That's what Xion tells me," Axel answers, laughing slightly, but obviously weirded out by the fact that his body temperature is so high that he should be dead. He blinks his green eyes a few times, looking over where Xion and Naminé had been sitting. I glance over my shoulder  
briefly. They're gone. Meh, girls. Who understands them?

"We're serious, Axel!" Roxas and I say at the same time. Surprised, he turns his azure-cerulean-silver eyes on me, before looking back to Axel and continuing, "You should be dead."

"Oh, THANK you for that, Roxie," Axel says sarcastically. I look at Zexion desperately. How can we get him to realize his control over fire?

Zexion shrugs.

"A lot of help you are," I mumble quietly so that only I would hear.

"This is kinda weird. Imma go jump in a cold bath or something if I'm as hot as you guys are telling me I am," Axel decides, trying to get Roxas off of him so that he could stand. Roxas doesn't budge. "Can you get off me, Rox?"

"No way," Roxas replies. "Axel, I have to tell you something—"

The doorbell rings, interrupting him mid-sentence. Demyx shoots up. "I'll get it!" he yells before running off. For some reason I can't explain, I have a bad feeling about who—or what—is at the door. My spidey senses are blaring and telling me that something just ain't right. I get up and follow Demyx and pass Xion on the way as she makes her way back to the living room.

"You look worried," she comments.

"I am," is all I say as I keep walking.

"Can I help you?" the blond is asking as I round the corner. I look past him to see a small girl, who looks no older than nine, looking up at Demyx with big brown eyes, so dark they could be black. Her hair looks like a waterfall of white waves that tumbles down her tiny back, nearly touching the ground. She's wearing a white, lacey dress, which is torn and dirty in some areas, and a teddy bear with a ripped ear is clutched in her right hand.

"May I come in?" she asks sweetly, smiling cutely. The picture of innocence. Ha, innocent? My fucking ass. "I am lost. I cannot find my way home. It would be lovely if I may rest in here for a few moments." She doesn't budge an inch from her position outside the door.

Everything about her screams unnatural and wrong. No kid talks like that these days. Demyx starts to say, "Of course—" when I yell, "No! Demyx, don't let her in."

"Wha…?" Demyx looks from me to the girl, then back to me, then her. Tears are pooling in her big eyes. Fake tears. I just know. It's like I have a radar; I'm strange and unnatural, so I can detect other strange creatures, or something. "Sora! Don't be mean! Why can't she come in? Of course she can come in!"

My heart drops at those simple six words. Why does Demyx have to be such a nice person? The little girl smiles and skips in.

"Oh, thank you so very much!" she exclaims lightly, holding his hand. He looks slightly surprised but that's all as he walks back to the living room. When he's gone, I mutter, "Shit," slam the door, and hurry after them.

She's sitting beside Zexion and Demyx, smiling as the blond offers her a glass of water. Zexion looks very leery about her prescence. He's such a good judge of character it's crazy. Other than his wary face, everything looks normal. Roxas had gotten off of Axel, apparently, as the redhead is sitting on the couch beside Xion and the blond. They're staring at the girl oddly.

"She looks like you guys," Axel says as I take a spot on the other end of the couch, where I'll get the best view of the girl.

"What do you mean?" Roxas asks distractedly, looking at me briefly.

"She's kind of… weird looking."

"Thanks," I say sarcastically as Roxas mumbles, "THAT'S nice."

Axel rolls his green eyes. "I mean like… unnatural, like you guys."

I nod and mumble, "That's because she is. She's a vampire."

The girl's head snaps up at that moment. Her doe eyes turn onto me and she smiles sweetly, but it's a sickly sort of sweet. Like sugar coated poison.

"I totally see it!" Roxas whispers.

"She's not good, is she?" Axel asks, but he says it like an observation. I shake my head.

"Probably not."

The little girl stands up. "Please, where is the washroom?"

Xion gets up as well. "I'll show you the way, sweetie." She takes the girl's hand a leads her to the hallway. Axel watches his girlfriend go worriedly.

"Is she going to be okay?" he asks, making to get up. Roxas grabs his wrist and pulls him back down.

"She'll be fine," he says reassuringly, but the doubt is audible in his voice. He bites his lip. "Actually, maybe I was wrong, Axel. You should go after her." He all but hauls Axel up by the waist and throws him out of the room. I hear Axel stumble slightly and then run after the little girl and Xion.

"Whh didn't you want that girl to come in, Sora?" Demyx asks me. "She's so cute and polite!"

"Don't let her fool you, Demyx," I say patiently. "She's a vampire. An old one, from the way she talks."

"What!" Axel runs back over curiously.

"GO AFTER YOUR DAMN GIRLFRIEND DUMBASS!" Roxas yells, pointing and baring his fangs. Axel 'eep's and runs away.

Not paying attention to Roxas and Axel, Zexion nods, as I knew he would. "I thought so."

Demyx glares at us, apalled. "Her? That sweet little girl? A vampire?" He shakes his head. "You _have_to be kidding me."

"Nope, sorry," Roxas says bluntly. "Can't you tell?" He keeps shifting around in his seat, like he's itching to go up and see what's going on. I guess I can't blame him.

"Well, there's something weird about her," Demyx admits. "But I don't think she's a bad vampire. She's too sweet and innocent. She's just a kid!"

"You're blind, Demyx!" Roxas snaps, losing it just like that. "Just a kid means _nothing_. I just found out that I've been fucking unnatural since I was a baby. So was Sora. Age has nothing to _do_ with it!"

Demyx' eyes flash and weirdly I feel like a wave of water just hit me, even though I'm not wet. "Well, _sorry_ for trying to see the bright side of things!" His hands curl into fists. Jeeze, what the _hell_? I don't even fully understand why this argument started in the first place.

Before Roxas can say anything, I get in the middle of them, grab them both by the front of their shirts and yell, "Will you guys _calm the fuck down_? Demyx, you need to stop being so trusting. You don't know who's out to kill you right now. And Roxas, don't take your fucking frustration and stress out on _Demyx_. I know what we found out the other day is a huge fucking shocker, but that doesn't give you the right to go all bitch mode! I think that _I _should be the one freaking out, I just found out that my dad wasn't murdered by my mom. No, he's still alive and kicking and the whole damn reason we're in this fucking mess!"

"What I found out is terrible, too," he mutters, folding his arms.

"Well, that's still no reason to take it out on Dem. If you need to scream at someone, just scream at _me_." I give them both my best glare.

For a second, they both look like they're gonna murder me. Then Roxas sighs angrily. "You're right. Sorry, Demyx."

"Yeah... it's okay. I guess I do need to be more careful." He looked at Roxas guiltily. "Sorry."

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have lost my temper. I'm just... I'm kinda freaking out lately."

"Well, now that that's settled, can we get back to the matter at hand?" Zexion says coolly, grabbing his boyfriend's arm. "Let's get upstairs and check it out. I have a bad feeling."

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, a long, blood-curdling scream comes from the hallway.

~0~

**Author's notes: **yeeeaaaaaaaaaa! Finally getting this story back on track! God I'm so happy! :))))))) PLEASE REVIEW!


	17. Chapter 17: RIP

**Author's notes: I'm on a roll :) Jk Sorry for the long wait... you're used to it, ne?**

**Roxas PoV**

A scream almost as head splitting as mine had been when I'd awoken fills the mansion. It's long and piercing, ending abruptly with a loud bang. For a quarter of a second, everyone in the living room holds their breath for a moment. And then all hell breaks loose.

"XION!" Axel yells, sounding not scared, but completely and utterly petrified. His voice carries down the hallway and echoes around our heads. "OH GOD _NO_!"

"Sora, Dem, go after him!" I order, trying keep calm. Without any complaints my boyfriend grabs a wide eyed, panicked Demyx by the arm and tugs him down the hallway. He's running too fast for Demyx to  
properly keep up, but still, that's not fast enough for me.

I turn to Zexion. "Come on, let's find a weapon."

"Kitchen," he mutters before running off in that direction. I follow him. He tosses me a huge, sharp knife, which I thankfully catch, and then we're off to where I'm sure nothing good is happening.

"I hope we're not too late," Zexion says, sounding tense as we round a corner and get a blast of heat right in the face I automatically raise my arms to shield my face, wincing when a spark of fire lands on my wrist. I open one eye to see Xion, unconscious, with Axel standing over her protectively, two cool as fuck chakrams in his hands as fire swirls around him. My jaw drops even further when I see Demyx standing in a mini hurricane, a sitar in his hands and looking confused and scared as hell. Sora has the little vampire girl pinned against the wall with keyblade in his hand, pressed at her throat.

Where did he get that? What the hell is going on here? My hands get oddly tingly and I suddenly feel like I should be holding Oathkeeper. I'll have to settle for the knife right now.

"Where's Riku and Kairi, and Naminé?" Zexion asks, breaking my chain of thoughts. Somehow, through all the chaos, his quiet voice is heard and Demyx stutters out a reply.

"They're upstairs s-somewhere." Demyx swallows, looking close to tears, but manages to continue in a steady voice, "I don't think they noticed anything odd."

"Which is good," Sora speaks up, shifting his grip on the kicking and screaming vampire child. "That way they won't get hurt or in the way."

"I told you, I wasn't sent here to kill anyone, it was for information on whether you guys were planning anything, I swear! Let me go, I haven't done anything wrong!" the vampire girl cries, struggling against Sora's iron grip. She gives a small sob as Sora pins her harder against the wall, her huge eyes filled with hate and angry tears as they focus on me.

My hand twitches tightens around the knife. I can practically feel the fakeness of her emotions. I'm about to ask her where her master is when Axel lets out an indignant scoff.

"Ha!" he laughs, a snarky sound devoid of any joy, smirking in a frightening way that I'd never seen before. "You're saying you didn't do anything wrong, little girl?"

"Yes!"

The flames surrounding Axel roar as he growls, pointing at Xion. "Then why the fuck is my girlfriend DEAD?"

"Dead?" I echo in disbelief, staring at the limp form of Xion's body on the ground. Only now do I realize that her throat is torn open, blood pouring out and seeping into the white carpet. She's not breathing or moving at all and her skin looks clammy. Her eyes stare up at the ceiling, flat and unmoving like glass. A hysterical scream claws its way up my throat, but I swallow it down. That was me a while ago, and now it's Xion. My knees feel like liquid and I'm afraid I might pass out. I hang onto the knife for dear life and I want nothing more than to go crazy and stab the shit out of the little vampire's body.

_Xion's dead oh god—_

The little vampire girl growls ferociously, a guttural sound like I'd never heard before. It sounds so wrong coming from the innocent looking little girl.

"It was an accident!"

"What's even better," Axel continues in a sarcastically cheerful tone, ignoring the girl, "she was PREGNANT with my fucking BABY." The last word is practically a scream. I've never, ever seen Axel so  
angry. He looks ready to kill something and have a hell of a time doing it.

The whole room goes silent, save for the crackle of Axel's flames and the rushing of Demyx's mini hurricane.

"Pregnant?" Demyx whispers, strumming a few notes on his sitar (I'm still wondering where he and Axel got those weapons...) The water stops in mid-air then falls everywhere, dousing Axel's fire. The flames jump right back up, higher than they'd been before, and the little vampire girl looks terrified. She suddenly kicks at Sora, who wasn't expecting it. She punches him harder than someone her size should be able to, making a beeline to the window. Zexion catches the stumbling Sora and throws him at me. He automatically throws his arms around me and I cling to his chest like a koala, unable to tear my eyes away from Xion's empty shell.

_She's DEAD oh god XION IS DEAD—_

Before anyone can run after her, Axel yells, "No!" and simultaneously, all of his flames jump after her. She screams in agony as it melts away her flesh. The scent of burning meat fills my nostrils and I press my sleeve to my mouth, gagging and squeezing my eyes shut as the little girl becomes a pile of smoking ashes. Sora's arms tighten around me.

Finally, it's over. I open my eyes, blinking away tears.

Axel sinks to his knees, the flames dying. He pulls Xion into his arms and does something I've never seen him do in the whole time I've known him, which was since kindergarden. Not even when he'd snuck into my room at night after nearly beaten to death by his brother.

He cries.

No one says anything, the heavy atmosphere of death pressing down on all of us. I feel wetness on my cheeks and realize I'm crying too. Hard.

_She's dead. That little girl KILLED Xion, tore her throat out—_

Finally, Zexion clears his throat. He starts to say something but I cut him off, startled at how pissed I am. I didn't even know it was possible to be relieved, anguished and furious at the same time.

"If you're going to go all fucking 'Calm down so we can figure out what to do next' on us, I'll fucking tear your throat out." Zexion shifts a little uncomfortably as I bear my teeth at him.

"Roxas…" Sora whispers warningly and reproachfully into my ear.

I pull out of his arms. "Xion just DIED. She's _dead_." My stomach lurches up into my throat as I glance at her body again. I squeeze my eyes shut, a small whimper coming from my clenched teeth. "I'm sorry, Zexion, I didn't mean to snap, I'm sorry..." I babble, a tear running down my face. My knees can't hold me up anymore so I let myself fall.

Zexion looks at the ground. "I understand."

"Can this wait?" Axel asks, his voice empty of anything except for grief and desperation. "I mean, Xion—XION." He squeezes his eyes shut and holds her limp body close.

I bite my lip and look at Sora like, _can't we do something?_

Sora looks troubled. He shrugs, biting his lip as well.

"Axel," I say quietly, not really knowing if this is the right thing to suggest at the moment, "Do you want…I mean, I could—"

"No." Axel interrupts me, his voice oddly steady. "Don't change her. She specifically told me that she never wanted to be a vampire."

"Plus…oh man, I feel like an ass saying this…but we can't go around…changing everyone who dies into a vampire," Sora cuts in, shaking his head slowly.

I suppose he's right…but still, I can't just stand here and do nothing. Xion… probably the sweetest, most innocent person I know—knew… she doesn't deserve to just die like this…not without…without a proper goodbye or something…

"We should tell the others," I say, swallowing back a huge sob and what feels like all of my insides rising up and wanting to spill out of my throat. "And then—do something…for Xion."

Axel slides her eyelids shut, so that, if you ignore her bloody throat, it looks like she's sleeping. He kisses her cold lips and lets one last tear slide down his face before straightening up. I kind of admire him right now. He's so strong. He looks like a man carved in stone while I'm sure my face is greenish and my eyes are feverish.

"You're right, Roxas," he says, his voice dull. I bite my lip. I still can't believe…Xion…no, I can't think about that right now. I can't cry right now. There's still stuff to do. Later, when I'm alone, I'll let myself break down.

"I'll…I'll go get the others…and tell them…yeah." Zexion clears his throat awkwardly and turns to go out the door. Something unidentifiable flashes through Demyx's eyes and he follows his boyfriend.

Axel sits on the floor and cradles Xion's body close to him. "I love you," I hear him whisper. I avert my eyes to give him some privacy and slide down the wall until I'm lying curled up on the floor, just crying. Damnit, _why_? Why does this have to happen? Every part of me feels like it's breaking, shattering to millions of tiny pieces until nothing is left of me but a small, cold, still heart. I feel like punching something, killing something, like doing something, _anything_, to make her come back. Sora kneels next to me and touches my arm. I don't really feel it and stare stonily at the wall.

"You should go comfort Axel," he murmurs. "He's probably dealing with a lot right now."

I look up to his eyes. They're anxious, full of worry for everyone around him. It's so like him to be so worried about everyone around him. I swallow and nod before crawling over to Axel.

"Hey," I say softly.

He looks up at me, his acid green eyes full of tears. My heart breaks a little and I throw my arms around him and Xion, pulling them close, uncaring of the blood everywhere.

"What now, Roxas?" he whispers into my hair, sounding tired and drained. "Everything's different."

"I know," I murmur silently.

"Xion's gone, you're undead, I can control fire, Demyx can control water, Sora is a vampire and his mother wants to kill us. The only thing left to do is fight."

"Yeah… I know." His father wants to kill us more, and he's one of the strongest vampires out there. But I don't tell him that. Not now.

"Please, Roxas." Axel sounds desperate. "Tell me what's going on. I know there's something you and Sora are hiding. Please tell me."

I look away. Everyone thinks Axel is so shallow and such an ass…Truth is, he's the strongest person I know. "I don't even know the whole story…" I say, willing my voice to stay steady, "but I'll tell you what I know."

~0~

**Author's notes:** **I suck at knowing where to end things…sorry…again…:/ Please review, and I'm sorry this chappie was so, um, weird? Dumb? Cheesy? Not as sad as I would have liked it? Idk theres just something about it :P If you have ny ideas for improvements, lemmeeeee know!**

**...x( Poor Xion and her little fetus child! R.I.P. m'lady you were a wonderful person and unborn kid you would have been amazing! DX (I'm such a bitch )**


	18. Chapter 18: Always had a bad feeling

**Author's notes: ...You guys are used to the long wait, yeah? . Sorry, again...**

~0~

Sora's PoV

I slip silently out of the room when Roxas goes over to Axel. I feel numb. This whole situation—Xion's death, Axel and Roxas's loss, vampires attacking—it's all my fault. If I hadn't gotten Roxas involved in this—if I hadn't fallen in love with him… none of them would have had to suffer. I'm a terrible person and I hate myself for it.

When I saw Axel cry, I think my heart stopped. When I saw _Roxas_ cry, I _know_ my heart stopped. Both of them... their lives are changing so much, and I'm practically the root cause of it all.

I've never wanted to hurt myself before, for anything. Now I do. But I won't, because I don't want to hurt Roxas, but the need is there and it's hard to ignore. My hand twitches and I wish that the keyblade that had magically appeared into my hand earlier, when I'd been desperate to protect something, would reappear and I could beat the shit out of something.

I wander Riku's mansion aimlessly, occasionally trying to summon that weapon again, but it never works. I sigh after about an hour and decide to give up, plopping down onto the floor in the middle of the hall. It smells weird here; kind of familiar and sweet, but it makes me dizzy. Sort of like when you walk past someone at a store who is wearing way too much perfume. I close my eyes and put my head between my knees, willing my dark thoughts and sudden throbbing away.

"All alone?"

I jump up, instantly alert, my head whipping around to find the source of the voice. I spot Riku leaning on the wall opposite me, a wry look on his face. There's still something weird about this guy that I don't like…at all. Given what Zexion told us, I'm not surprised I'm wary of him. And Jesus, I just realized... this guy is technically my uncle. Frickin' _weird_.

"I'm just giving Roxas and Axel some time alone," I say cautiously. "Did…Zexion find you and tell you?"

"Tell me what?" he asks smoothly. His tone of voice has the fine hairs on the back of my neck prickling.

My heart speeds up. Something not good at all is going on here. "About Xion…"

"No, he didn't say a thing."

Well, that's an odd way to answer my question. I nod awkwardly.

"Well, there was a vampire attack and she—God, what is that smell?" I cut myself off and press a hand on my face, the sickly sweet smell making my stomach lurch and my teeth hurt. Wait a second...

Riku smiles and it makes a shiver go down my spine. Okay, what the hell… I've never felt this uncomfortable around anyone besides my mother and—ugh, Sephiroth... my dad.

"I have to g-go… find… Roxas," I stutter lamely, trying to come up with an excuse to get away from him. He catches my wrist and yanks me back. I glare.

"Okay, seriously, you're freaking me out, Riku." I tug my wrist free from his grip. "Leave me alone."

His aqua eyes narrow and a smile that I can only describe as wrong spreads across his face.

"You're even more of a brat than they said you'd be, little nephew."

"Wh-what?" I need to leave. Now. Riku—he's planning something, something bad. Everything in me is screaming GET AWAY FROM HIM!

Riku doesn't answer me, just cocks his head to the side and looks at me like I'm something he wants to eat. He walks towards me and I step back and clench my fists.****

I'm half vampire. I can take this guy.

Then why is everything in me screaming that I can't?

"You are pretty, though…" he murmurs thoughtfully, tapping his chin. I take another step back. Oh god, now he _sounds_ like he wants to eat me.

I swallow and snap, "I hope you know I have NO fucking idea what you're going on about—"

"Shut up for a minute will you!" he yells, shoving me against the wall. I gasp as he latches his lips onto my neck and pins my wrists to the wall. I feel something sharp pierce my skin and my heart jumps up into my throat.

"You fucker," I growl through clenched teeth, trying to kick him away, but I hate to say it…he's stronger than me. What a good actor, that bastard. Pretending to think vamps are unnatural and wrong and he _is_ one. Hypocrite. His hands are at the bottom of my shirt and I hate how helpless I feel—I can't do anything, it's like I'm paralyzed. It dawns on me that he called me pretty. So he's probably going to rape me... or something like that.

_That's fucking incest! _A voice screams in my head. But Riku doesn't seem to care.

Ah, hell…I have a moment of blind panic and aim a kick for his knees, feeling victorious when it connects. He lets out a ferocious snarl and throws me down on the ground, hard. My head and back connect painfully with the floor and he pounces on top of me. I cry out as he bites down again, drawing blood against my will. It hurts so bad I want to scream. It's like he's drinking my life. Which I guess he is.

Instead of trying to fight him off, I go for a different route. He seemed to really, actually love Kairi…

"What about Kairi?" I choke out as I feel his fingers under my jeans. I squirm and try not to cry in frustration and humiliation. I'm sure he'd love that.

Riku pulls away, his mouth dripping with my blood. "What about her?"

"Don't you—I mean—"

He cuts me off with a nasty smile. "Oh, she's not around to stop me. Trust me, there's no way she'll care anymore."

Something in his voice tells me there's a second meaning in his words. I swallow, trying to think of something. Maybe, if I keep him talking, it'll distract him from raping me and get his _disgusting _hands out of my pants—he's almost touching me and I feel so wrong and dirty that I want to scream. It's like his hands are covered in dirt and everywhere he touches me it spreads and it feels _horrible._

"What do you mean?" I gasped, squeezing my eyes shut and fighting angry and humiliated tears. I gripped his wrists, trying to make him _stop_, but he's way stronger than me. He won't budge.

"You smell that?"

I nod eagerly, playing along. I wish my voice was steady enough for me to shout for help.

"You know what it is, right?"

"Uh…no?"

He stands up and I nearly cry with relief. I can't believe he's that easy—he stopped just like that! I scramble up and away from him as he nods his head in the direction of a door on the other side of the hall. I look at him cautiously, keeping the distraction going, and slowly inch away.

"The smell…is a door…?" I play dumb, super dumb. So dumb I can't even believe he doesn't slap me like the fool I am. He folds his arms irritably.

"Don't be stupid," he snaps, smirking smugly. "You know what it is, Sora."

Ugh…I hate the way my name sounds coming from his mouth. I suppress a shudder of disgust and try to identify the scent, which is oddly appealing, but sort of foreign, I really can't describe it. It's like an overload of something familiar, like when someone wears a whole bunch of Axe and it makes your eyes water and stuff.

"It's blood. Lots of it," he says before I can even think. My heart squeezes and I look at him, my eyes wide.

"…Blood?"

"Surely you know what that is."

"Of course I do!" I snap. "What did you do, you fucking backstabbing two-faced lying little—"

Before I can even blink he's standing right in front of me, his aquamarine eyes narrowed angrily and sadistically. He slams me against the wall again, and I bite my tongue by accident. "That's no way to talk to your family."

"And this is a good way to treat them, is it?" I growl. I spit some blood on the floor and glare at him, swinging a punch at his face. The sound of it cracks through the room and he throws me violently against the opposite wall, making me see stars. A loud cry forces its way from my throat at the cracking sensation in my skull. My heart pounds furiously in my chest and I wish desperately that I had something, anything to defend myself with. My hand tingled and a sudden idea pops into my head: my keyblade. It had appeared into my hand when I'd needed to protect something. Well, I need to protect something now. Me.

"I'll tell you what I did," he snarls, his voice sounding more animal and less human by the second. I put all of my concentration into summoning my keyblade, but my mind stumbles when I hear his next words. "I killed Kairi and Naminé. And you're next."

~0~

**Author's notes**: **I love Riku. I really REALLY fucking love Riku. I'd marry him and make little Riku babies and shit. So don't hate on me for making him an evil, sick, rapist-like bastard BECAUUSE I LOVE HIM PASSIONATELY AND HE IS FRICKING AWESOMAZING AND .**

**Short chap I know, but please review.**


	19. Chapter 19: Good bye

**Author's notes: Wow, I'm surprised I managed to write this in just one day. That's like, a record for me. :D Sorry last chapter was so short, guys, but I'm kinda struggling with... you got it... SCHOOL! Just like last year, ugh I just don't understand Science and Social Studies at all. Anyway, yeah, please review! And don't expect an update as quick as this one .**

~0~  
Roxas PoV 

By the time I'm finished telling Axel everything I know, we're both on the verge of tears again. How is it that two people can fuck up so many people's lives? When I see Sora's parents, I swear to _God_ I'm going to fucking tear their hearts out and cut them into a million pieces. Right after I finish hurting them like they hurt every single one of my friends.

"Roxas," Axel whispers, his voice so shaky I just want to hug him to bits.

"Yeah, Axel?"

"Can you…come with me? I want to bury Xion now."

For some reason hearing his trembling but somehow unemotional voice makes something in me snap. "How do you deal with this?" I ask him too loudly, my voice bordering on hysteria. "Axel, our lives are changing so fast it's making my head spin. How can you possibly be able to tear yourself away from Xion? Or her unborn baby? How come you're not crying and screaming like I am?" I ramble on, tears falling from my eyes again and not making much sense, until Axel warily grabs my shoulders and forces me to shut up.

"I'm dealing with it the only way I know how, Roxas, and that's by pretending that it's all a dream. I know it's not," he continues before I can argue, "but it's the only way I can go on right now without curling into a ball and crying until I die. I'm going to do what I have to make sure Xion—" his voice breaks, but he presses on, "Xion, and my baby, get avenged. When this is all done, then I'll let myself cry and scream. Hell, when this is over, I'll probably grab a gun and shoot myself." By the time he's finished, his voice shows nothing. It's almost cold. I punch him in the face. His eyes widen in alarm, and a small spark of anger flares in his eyes. Good. He's showing some humanity again. His hand flies up to the red mark on his face, and he stares at me in disbelief. I narrow my eyes.

"Don't you fucking _dare _kill yourself," I snarl, baring my fangs at him. He actually looks alarmed and I use that to my advantage, climbing onto his lap and glaring straight into his eyes. "You think Xion would want that? No. If you even go _near_ a gun, I'll fuck you up so bad you'll wish—" He cuts me off with a light chuckle, which in this situation is so fucking wrong that I stare at him in silence, my mouth open.

"Sorry," he mutters. "You're so funny when you're angry."

I gape at him before growling, "And you're a fucking idiot. Come on." I stand up. "I'll help you bury Xion." I squeeze my eyes shut and force the tears to stop falling.

_Action now, emotions later.  
_  
So I keep that thought in my head as Axel stands up, cradling Xion in his long arms. But it's hard. All I want is to just curl up and let it all out. We both robotically move to the door and walk out of the mansion in silence. Being emotionless right now is damn fucking hard, but I force myself not to cry again. Actually, I've cried so much lately I don't know if there are any tears left.

Finally I break the silence. "You're sure she doesn't want to be a vampire?" I ask glumly. "It's not that bad, you know." I kick at a rock, thinking about how it's actually pretty awesome.

Axel sighs. "Yeah. She told me. She said 'If I die during this, don't let Sora or Roxas bring me back.'" He looks at me guiltily. "I'm sorry, she said she wouldn't be able to manage being a vampire. She hates blood and…" he hesitated, like he was debating whether he should keep going. I looked at him expectantly, and he finished, "She said that she would never want to be something so unnatural."

I feel a tiny twinge of hurt in my chest, right where my still heart sits. "I see. Everyone has different opinions I guess." My voice is sort of hollow.

"You're not mad, are you?" he asks desperately. "Please don't be mad, Roxas, I need you."

"I'm not mad," I assure him, trying to smile. It feels and looks fake so I just let it fall and murmur, "Just sad. At everything."

"We all are," he says before we lapse into silence, the only sound our footsteps in the grass and Axel's breathing. Weird how I don't even have to anymore. We walk through the forest until we find a small meadow, with tiny little flowers everywhere. I look back. Judging from the distance we travelled from Riku's house, this is still on his property. That could be why I sort of feel like something is watching us... I still don't trust Riku at all.

"This meadow is huge," Axel mutters, looking around. "D'you think Riku's parents will care if we bury Xion here? It's really pretty... she'd love it." He looked down at her and winced.

"I don't fucking care if they care." Actually, I had a feeling these parents Riku mentioned didn't even exist. "C'mon, let's find a good spot."

After a few minutes of searching, we find a beautiful tree. It's a short little thing that sort of looks like a bonsai tree and its pink leaves cast a shadow on a patch of various coloured flowers. It's really calming and seems like a good place for Xion to rest forever.

"Wait," I say.

"What?"

"We have no shovels or anything to dig up dirt with…"

"Hmmm. Guess we never thought of that." Axel sighs and plops down  
cross legged, staring at the tree blankly as though he wants it to dig  
a hole for us. I get an idea.

"How would you feel if we dug the hole on our own? Just with our hands. It'd be more... I don't know. Like we're doing one last thing for her, and using our own blood and sweat to do it. You know?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Axel sounds shaky, and I can't blame him. I'm trembling up an earthquake over here, and I swear my heart is trying to strangle itself. I wish that having a useless heart could help me to not feel pain... but it does nothing, I still feel it just as bad as I would when I was human, well, mostly human. Maybe even more. I'll live for a long time... and Xion only got to live sixteen years. How is that fair? I realize I'm staring into nothing and tears are gathering in my eyes again, so I shake myself out of it and get on my knees. Silently, without letting go of Xion's frail, lifeless corpse, Axel kneels beside me and we both start digging a Xion sized hole with our bare hands.

Our nails get torn, hands cut and bruised, fingers sprained, and we sometimes start crying and shaking uncontrollably. But we don't stop. After hours and hours, and the sun is setting, trees casting long shadows in the orangey red surroundings, we've dug a hole big enough to fit a small body in. For a long moment, we both stare at it, and at our bloodied and torn hands. Mine are already healing, I notice bitterly. Just another example of how unfair life is.

"So," I say, not really having anything to say.

"Yeah," Axel mumbles. He wipes his hands on his jeans. "Roxas... D'you think it'll get any easier?"

Without him explaining, I know exactly what he's talking about. "Truthfully? No. But we need to move on..."

"I don't think I can do it. I can't bury her. I can't _live_ without her, Roxas," he says, his voice rising hysterically. His green eyes are wide and frightened. "I can't do it."

"Yes, you can." I grab his face in my hands and force him to look at me. "Do you think Xion would want you living in sadness? No, Axel, you have to _live_, move on, _keep going_. That doesn't mean you have to forget her. No, remember her, remember the times you had with her, and the times all three of us had together. Keep her living forever in your memories and your heart." I don't know where that speech came from, but it felt right. Tears gather in Axel's green eyes and he nods slowly.

"You're right. Just... let me have a second." He closes his eyes, and kneels there, his head hanging. I wipe a stray tear off his cheek, and he seems to visibly relax. After a few moments, his eyes open. "All right. I'm ready."

Axel takes Xion and sets her in it, so gently it seems weird coming from him. He kisses her cheek one last time, lets one more tear fall, and then pulls back. I think I hear him whisper something, but I couldn't make out anything, so I just say, "You're in a better place now, Xion. I'll miss you—we all will." As I say this, an odd tingly feeling happens between my shoulder blades. Feeling like a total sap, but feeling like I have to say it anyway, I finish in a choked up voice: "Your body may have died, but your spirit will live on forever in the hearts of everyone you have touched."

Axel makes a choked sound and all of a sudden I'm sent flying in a huge bear hug. Axel's spicy scent overwhelms me and I almost smile at the comfort it brings me. Almost. I look up at Axel as he stares back down at me. His green eyes are all misty. I squeeze the hell out of him.

He gasps. "Rox—ribs—"

I remember my inhuman strength and quickly let go. "Right! Sorry!"

"It's fine," he says, wincing. He plops down again. We fall into silence, just staring into the small grave. The feeling that we're being watched has left, but I can't shake that nagging feeling that something, somewhere, is going really, really bad.

"We should cover her up now," I say quietly. Axel shakes his head.

"Do you mind if I just spend a tiny bit of time alone with her?" he asks. "I know she was your best friend too, I just... Do you...I'll hurry..."

"It's fine. I understand." I'm already up and walking away. I pause and look back, making my voice as gentle as I can. "You know... you don't have to hurry. Take as long as you need. I'll be back at the mansion, I have to talk to Sora."

He nods, and I leave the meadow. The last thing I hear before the leaves swallow me is the dry, heart wrenching sound of Axel crying his heart out. 


	20. Chapter 20: Stained with Crimson

**Author's notes: **Weeooo! Please review!11

~o0o~

Roxas PoV

I'm slowly making my way back to the mansion, thinking about everything, when that weird tingly thing happens between my shoulder blades again. I shrug it off. Even though I know what it is, though, I can't help but be a little bothered... It seems too damn weird that I'm part angel.

I'm alone now, but now that I'm ready to let myself cry, _really_ cry, I can't. Tears won't come. There's just a huge hole in my heart that hurts so bad it's almost physical pain. My core is burning and I'm pretty sure I'm right about to get sick. I want to curl up into a ball and cry. But like I said, nothing happens, even when I try. I can't focus on one emotion, and it's making my head whirl.

The dark bricks of the mansion peek through the leaves of the trees around me and I make my way to it emotionlessly. I get a bad feeling about it suddenly, like something horrible is happening, but pay it no mind. I mean, I have a bad feeling about everything right now. So it doesn't seem too weird.

When I push open the front doors, they make an odd creaky sound. I guess they'd always made that sound, but for some reason... it's more pronounced right now. It's so quiet, I can hear my breathing echoing around. The mansion is dark and empty inside; it seems abandoned, not at all like it was this morning, so full of activity and laughing. The bad feeling gets worse as I walk further in. It reeks in here…the intoxicating and seductive scent of blood is everywhere, so thick that it makes my head spin and canines hurt. The churning, sick feeling in my stomach gets stronger. I swallow to keep myself from throwing up. Xion... she couldn't have spilled _that _much, could she?

A loud thump and a cry from what's probably a couple floors up makes every one of my senses go on high. I concentrate hard and manage to make out some voices. They're both familiar, which is no surprise.

"You—why would you—Ah! No! _Don't_ _touch me_!" Sora's scream of agony claws into my brain and before I can even think, I'm running, so fast that I'm sure I'd explode if I hit anything. That annoying sensation is prickling again and my hands itch, like they should be holding something. I vaguely notice that this happens whenever I want to protect something.

I slide to a stop, my head whipping from side to side frantically. Where did those voices come from? A small moan of pain reaches my ears and I'm off again.

"Y-you fucker," one of the voices gasps, sounding mangled from pain. "We…all t-trusted you…ah! Stop..." Sora sobs, makes a sound of pain.

My heart drops. Sora. I run faster, the only thing I can think of is SORA OH FUCK NO PLEASE LET ME GET THERE IN TIME—

I round a corner to see Sora flat on the floor, that keyblade in his hand again. His arms are trembling from the weight of the person he's trying to fend off and—No. _Fuck no._ Tears are streaming down his ace, though it looks like he's trying really hard to fight them, as he is—roughly and from the looks of it, dryly—getting his ass pounded into the floor. I freeze for a moment, so shocked that I can't move. Sora doesn't notice me, but screams a stream of profanities and sobs a few times, chanting Riku's name in a voice so broken and cursing that I can practically feel the pure hatred roiling off of him. All I can make out of the attacker is silver hair. Blind fury shoots through me and I see red, my limbs unfreezing and reflexes kicking into gear. I'm there in a flash, lifting Riku up by that hair he's so fucking proud of and slamming him into the floor hard enough to daze him. He grunts in pain and lies still for a moment, semi-conscious, as I hurriedly help Sora up, fighting tears of my own when he sobs and clings to me like a baby.

"Are you okay?" I whisper, pushing his bangs away from his wet, fluttering eyes. I gently lift his pants up from around his knees and pull them up, doing my best to button them around both of our shaking. He nods quickly, but his squeak of pain tells me otherwise. He grinds his teeth.

"I'm... so sorry..." he whispers, his face screwing up. More tears fall.

"Why?" I demand as I hug him fiercely yet gently, softly brushing my thumb across his wet cheek.

"He... I... I'm... so gross... Dirty..."

I clench my jaw to keep from bursting into furious tears. "You're not! Fuck, I'm the one who has the right to be sorry, here." Why didn't I get here faster? "It's _not_ your fault."

"I... was so weak..." he mutters. His voice is so faint.

"It's not your damn fault, Sora!" I repeat, my voice breaking. Why does it have to be like this? Why can't life just be normal? I _hate_ seeing the people I love get hurt. "Don't blame yourself—Fuck, you're bleeding so much!" Blood was staining the back of his jeans, I shit you not. I felt like I might break down and cry. "_Fuck_," I hiss as one hot tear slid down my cheek. I don't know how much more I can take.

"Rox-as…don't… don't cry..." he whispers. A soft kiss is planted on my cheek, but it doesn't comfort me at all. I get this feeling he's not actually whispering, but that's just how his voice is. Hoarse from screaming in agony and thirst... He gasps suddenly, clutching at his neck. Crimson trickles down from underneath his fingers. "Roxas! Riku—Don't let him…get away… my m-mother… He'll get them!"

I hear shuffling behind me and whirl around just in time to see Riku opening a window. He kneels on the edge, poised to jump.

"He'll…get her…while we're weak…! Roxas don't let him escape!" His unfocused blue eyes widen.

Without a thought I grab his keyblade from him. It instantly turns into Oathkeeper, but I don't really pay attention to it as I bolt after Riku. He shoots one narrow eyed smirk my way before letting go and disappearing into the forest. I hold my breath for a minute. Axel's still in there… then my thoughts change. Riku's in for one hell of a surprise if he tries anything there. Axel can handle himself pretty damned well if what I saw earlier wasn't a dream.

I hurry back to Sora, who looks whiter than a ghost. Whiter than me. "Sora, Sora…" I mutter frantically, giving back his keyblade. He clutches it weakly before it disappears into a burst of white light. "Are you okay?" He starts to nod and I add, "Don't lie!"

He shudders. "No," he whispers brokenly. "I'm so weak…he drank…so much blood. I couldn't…fight him…He was stronger than m-me—a full vampire, f-for sure." He squeezes his eyes shut, but little tears fall out anyway. "He k-killed Kairi and Naminé… He would have killed me after he—if you hadn't shown up. I don't know… what happened to Dem and Zexion…"

I can see that even talking is hard for him. "Shh, Sora, don't say any more." I plant a soft kiss on his lips and lift him up bridal style, being careful. I remember how much it fucking hurt when I was willing to be ass-fucked; I can barely imagine how much it would hurt if it wasn't. only a small hiss escape him.

"Ch-check…that room." He lifts his arm weakly to point at a door, still covering his neck. I'll have to check that out as soon as I can. "R-Riku…pointed it out…"

I have a terrible feeling about what we'll see behind that door. I know Kairi and Naminé are gone—but still, it doesn't mean I'm ready to see it. Death isn't pretty. I remember what seems like forever ago when I was normal, and I thought death wasn't such a big deal; Now I know how horrible it really is. Still, I nod and walk to the door, maybe slower than necessary, but I just really, really don't want to see it—I wasn't as attached to Kairi and Naminé as I was Xion, but I still liked them and they didn't deserve to die like this, just because of some vampire's twisted way of thinking.

The heavy scent of blood gets worse and worse with every step closer to that door. I decide not to breathe, because now is not the time to get thirsty and start craving blood. When I open the door, Sora mutters, "God…all I can smell…blood…" He lets out a delirious moan. "Hungry…" he murmurs, burying his face into my chest. His nails dig into my arms.

I'm glad he's not looking, though, because he probably would be flipping out right now. It looks like someone took a bucket of crimson paint and went wild; there are even splashes on the ceiling. A door on the other side of the room is hanging open, barely attached to its hinges. I swallow back nausea. Obviously Kairi and Naminé had put up quite the fight… I don't see their bodies anywhere, but with the amount of blood and—fuck…whatever that stringy stuff on the bed is, I _don't fucking want to know_—I don't think I'd even want to see them. Zexion and Demyx aren't in sight, either, and I hope to fucking hell that none of this blood is theirs. I'm just glad this isn't making me hungry.

"Roxas…" Sora whispers. "Need blood…now…"

I bite my lip and look down at him. He's clutching to my shirt so hard his knuckles are turning white and his eyelids are fluttering, like he wants to keep them open but he can't. Hell, he doesn't look too good… I'll have to let him bite me. But first I need to check out that door.

"Just wait five minutes, okay, Sora? Then I'll get you some blood, I promise."

He groans but nods feebly.

"I'm gonna put you down for a minute, alright? I need to check something." Sora nods weakly again and I set him down on a chair, the cleanest spot I could find in the room. "I'll be right back."

He puts his head between his knees. "Hurry…"

With that last whisper I hurry over to the hanging open door, my eyes squinted because I'm afraid to open them. I don't know what I'm about to see—and I don't know if I want to see it. I take a calming breath before throwing the door completely open.

As soon as I step one foot in, I'm greeted with a huge geyser in the face. I splutter and stand there sopping wet.

"What the fuck?" I growl, looking around and ready to tear someone's throat out.

"Roxas, sorry! I thought you were Riku!" Demyx's nervous voice exclaims. The next thing I know I'm tackled into a giant hug. "You're okay, right?"

"What?" My brain is just having the slightest bit of a hard time processing this. I was expecting, I don't know, something a little more frightening? Not…Demyx.

"I'm fine," I say quickly. "Zexion…?"

"Here," Zexion says calmly as he walks towards Demyx and me. "We're all fine." He turns to me, a twinge of pain in his otherwise empty gaze. "You saw that mess out there, I'm presuming."

I nod. Demyx frowns and looks like he wants to cry. "I never thought Riku would be—evil! Three people—innocent people—dead!"

"It's terrible," Zexion murmurs. He looks at me, his eyes full of a terrible hate for the things that killed our friends. "Demyx and I—we found Kairi and Naminé... well, what used to be Kairi and Naminé. There was almost nothing left of them... Demyx threw up, and I'll admit I almost did too." Before I can ask, he answers, "We brought them out to this river Demyx found—"

"You threw them in?" I interrupt, feeling faintly sick.

"There's nothing we could have done for them," Zexion mutters, hanging his head. "I don't know what we're going to tell their parents, you know, if they have parents, I don't know... How could we explain this?"

"I don't know..." I blow my bangs away from my eyes. "We'll have to figure it out after, if we even get through this alive."

"Yeah—Sephiroth, Aerith, Riku—They're evil. They kill mercilessly, without a thought of who will be affected by it."

I nod. "They need to be stopped." For so many reasons.

"I'm glad you're okay, Roxas," Demyx says, smiling faintly. "Do you know if everyone else is okay?"

"Axel's fine, as far as I know, Sora..." I hesitate, not really comfortably telling them what happened with him. "Sora's... okay, more or less," I finally get out, not meeting their eyes.

"Alright, well... We'll be around. Just call my cell if you need me, it should be done charging by now." Zexion grabs Demyx's hand, and drags him away. I vaguely hear them talking about water something-or-other, and guess they're gonna go try to figure out Demyx's apparent ability to control water. That could be a useful skill to have around.

Once I'm completely alone and thinking clearly, I remember I'd left Sora out there. I look around, thinking about how much I really need to get out of this room and get Sora somewhere else, anywhere but the red filled, blood-splashed room. He's not where I'd put him. In fact, I can't see him anywhere.

_Oh my fucking fuck where did he go? _I panic. My god, what if Riku got back in and took Sora? It'd be my fault, I left him there alone. _Alone_. After what he'd been through, goddamnit—

"Sora!" I call out, my voice shaking with hysteria. "Where are you?"

Silence, except for a strange gurgling sound.

Silence.

"_Sora_!" I half-scream, looking around frantically. "_Answer me goddamnit_!"

"Rroooxxasss…" the guttural sound is barely human. I gulp hard and look around to find the source of the voice. There's a sudden loud thump from behind the bed and I choke back a scream of terror, expecting something to jump out and rip me to shreds. When nothing does, I swallow hard and try to calm my uncontrollable breathing. I approach the sound quietly, and if my heart could beat, it would be racing. It could be anything behind there—this house isn't safe anymore. It never was in the first place. I'll bet there are evil _things_ swarming in and out of it all the time. My thoughts are all rushing and blending together and don't make much sense, each of my senses taking over and controlling me. I'm so worried about Sora and so fucking afraid of what I'll see back there that I can't even make a sound anymore, except for a high, keening sound.

When I get there, it certainly wasn't what I was expecting, but I have to muffle a scream—and this time I'm not fucking ashamed to admit it—of shock and slap my hands over my mouth.

"Oh no, Sora," I whisper, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. He makes an odd sound and mumbles my name, but he doesn't sound human. His hands planted against the wall, smearing the blood all the way up to his wrists, he continues what he'd been doing—licking blood off the wall, moaning wordlessly and his eyes rolling back into his skull. The action is so disturbing that I gape for a moment as chills go down my spine. So this is what happens… when a vampire is starving to the point that it's on the brink of losing its mind.

"Sora!" I repeat, my voice going high with complete hysteria. "Stop!" I tear him away from the wall and he convulses, back arching and making an inhumane gurgling sound.

"Rrrooxasss…ssso hungrrrryy…" He clutches at himself, everywhere. His eyes are full of feverish hunger. "Burrrniiing…"

"Riku did this to you," I mutter furiously, mostly to myself, as I pick him up and throw him over my shoulder. His nails dig into my back and he lets out a high, desperate keening sound. I give the bloody room one last glance before bolting out, a clean room my destination.

~o0o~

**Author's notes: **Why must I torture the poor characters so? :(


	21. Chapter 21: Make the most of it

**Author's notes:** this is the shortest chapter in the world. I know. I am sorry...

~O~

Roxas PoV

"Rrrrrrooxxaaassss…"

His voice is terrifying right now. I've watched horror movies before and laughed at what made other people cry, but this—I'm close to losing it. This isn't a movie, it's real life. _My_life. The monster inside of every vampire is taking over the human Sora, and I'm terrified that I'll be too late to save him.

I dash down hallways, ignoring how dark and creepy it feels now that I know what it's hiding. Shadows pop up out of nowhere, seeming to clutch at my feet as they lightly touch the carpeted floor. It's eerily quiet. The only sounds I can hear, even with my enhanced hearing, are the harsh pants of Sora's breathing and the occasional creak of a floorboard. Small shivers run down my spine and I feel like there are eyes on us, but when I briefly stop to look around, there's nobody or nothing there. But I still feel another presence, and I'm not going to lie: it's freaking me out. I shake my head. I'm just being paranoid. So as I run to our room, I ignore the eyes burning into the back of my head and slam the door shut behind me, locking it for good measure. Even though if there was something or someone out there, I doubt a locked door would stop it if it really wanted us.

_**Stop it**__! There's nothing out there!_I keep that in mind and swallow down my fear.

I set Sora on the bed and try not to let my lips tremble in anguish and worry and fear—fear that has been dwelling in me ever since I was killed and resurrected—and slit my throat, right near an artery, with my nail. I'm shaking so bad that I mess up and blood spurts everywhere. As I gasp in sudden pain, Sora twitches, a feral look burning in his bright eyes. He looks beyond animalistic and I know he doesn't have a grip on his sanity right now, and it's breaking my heart. I bite my lip and hurriedly press his mouth to my neck before he can attack me. His hands claw at my arms and he drinks in heavy gulps, so fast I'm reeling already. But I need to do this. I need to help Sora…I can't lose him, too, not even to himself. It's not like I'll die, anyway; I have the blood of two different immortal beings. Worse thing that could happen is I pass out for a bit. Right?

He keeps drinking and drinking and even though I'm beginning to worry about myself, I don't stop him. I can tell Riku took a lot of his blood, and he's probably in so much pain; it's a miracle he was able to even talk. No wonder he lost his mind.

The room is completely silent except for the wet sound of slurping and Sora's occasional moans. I clamp my eyes shut as black dots begin to dance in my vision and the world starts spinning. Without meaning to, my hands claw at his arms and I choke out, "S-Sora, stop…"

To my surprise, he immediately pulls away. I stumble forward without him there to support me and he dives to catch me before I hit the floor.

"Roxas, I'm sorry!"

I grit my teeth, forcing myself not to pass out. "Its f-fine, Sora…just…nnn…" The world gives a sudden lurching twist and suddenly I'm on the floor, clutching my head. "Fuck," I gasp, sharp flashes of blind pain threatening to make tears fall. Sora scrambles down, his voice high with hysteria.

"I didn't mean to take too much, I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself—"

"Just…be…quiet," I manage through small gasps. "If I was worried about myself, I…wouldn't have let you…drink my blood…so give it up, I'll be fine…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Ugh, _shut up Sora_," I just kneel there, focusing on breathing, "we've been through… this before. It's not… always your fault."

"Fine…" he says reluctantly, but he lets it drop. "I have to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

His lip quivered. "Do you... do you hate me? All of this is my fault."

"No. I'd never hate you...It's not your fault, you didn't know."

"Still... Well, okay. I still feel bad though."

"Oh," I mutter, remembering something. The pain in my body is starting to dull, but my veins are burning again. Well, hell. I feed Sora and then get hungry… What would happen if neither of us were ever fully satisfied and one of us lost it and attacked one of our friends? Zexion would be able to fight off another vampire, sure, but I don't know about Axel and Demyx. Both of them would probably be too afraid to hurt us. I don't want to accidentally kill anyone... And... Well, this is a weird thought, but what if Sora drank enough of my blood that he got some angel genes too? One third human, one third vampire and one third angel? But then maybe that would be good... Both of us would be practically indestructible. Maybe... I shake my head to clear those thoughts for now and continue, since I'd sorta trailed off into my thoughts and left him hanging.

"Zexion and Demyx...they found Kairi and Naminé."

"Alright," he says distractedly. "Thanks for telling me, but it's not my priority right now. You need to lay down."

"No, I'm fine," I protest. "You're the one who needs to rest, aren't you... hurting...?" I ask a bit awkwardly, unable to really say what I wanted to say without sounding crude. "You just... you know... Riku raped you," I finally got out. "I mean, how—"

Sora put his hand up, and just focusing my eyes on it made me dizzy, so I closed them. "It's healed now, Roxas. I mean sure... I still... know it happened... But it doesn't hurt anymore, at least physically. Vampire healing abilities, remember?" He laughed weakly. "Come on, now let's get you laying down."

Reluctantly I let him help me into the bed of the room we'd chosen to be ours what seemed like so many days ago…has it really only been three days since we got here and I was changed? Seems like an eternity.

Sora settles himself next to me and I curl into him, nuzzling my face into his neck and wrapping my arms around his waist. He runs his fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp, and I can almost ignore the fire in my veins and the fact that outside of this room, it's like a living nightmare and that there's possibly something out there, stalking us like a predator stalks its prey. I slowly start to relax and force myself not to think about anything besides Sora—not Xion, Kairi and Naminé's deaths, Riku's betrayal, Zexion being a vampire created by the one that we were so threatened by, or Axel and Demyx getting these new powers that might make Sephiroth think they're a threat, and make them in danger as much as Sora and me. Not the fact that my life is falling apart and the only sane thing I can hold onto is Sora. No. I force those thoughts away and take a deep, unnecessary breath, Sora's unique scent filling my senses and calming me immensely. I could barely feel the dizziness anymore.

"I love you…" I sigh, not even realizing what was coming out of my mouth before it was already out.

Sora stops, his voice full of surprise. "Roxas?"

I blushed. "You can't tell me you didn't know that…I love you, Sora." Well, it's true. We both know it, I just happened to have said it out loud. "I guess it's a weird time to be telling you…but I do. So much."

"Oh, Roxas…" He hugs me then, so sweetly and softly and perfectly that I forget everything and just drown in the five words that come out of his beautiful mouth. "I love you too, forever."

So, I kiss him. I guess it's kind of a bad time to be all lovey dovey, but I don't care. I need to forget the bad stuff for right now. I need Sora. He takes my cheeks in his hands and kisses me harder; as though  
it's the last time he's going to do it. My head pounds and I realize that everything we do could be the last time we do it. Anything could happen. This could be the last chance I ever get to kiss him, to touch him, to taste the wonderful and unique taste of being in love with Sora.

"Sora," I say softly when we separate, staring into each other's eyes. I feel so girly at moments like these, but whatever.

"Yeah, Roxas?" he asks, his eyes shining and his smile practically glowing.

I swallow, a lump forming in my throat at the thought that keeps bouncing around in my heaad. "You know, this…might be the last time we get the chance to be together like this…" I trail off as he gazes at me, uncertain as to what my point is. I press my face into his neck and murmur, "We could die any day, now. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is…Sora, I want you to make love to me, before it's too late. Not sex, _love_. I know Riku just... raped you. But I..."

Sora lets his breath out in a huge gust of air, the cool breeze ruffling my spikes and heating up my insides. "Of course, Roxas."

Then he kisses me, hard, and I almost pass out from the intense passion of it. Stray tears fall from my eyes. I love him. I love him so much…and if this may be our last chance to be together, we're going to make the most of it.

~O~

**Author's notes: ** Sorry... A fricking decade of waiting and this is all you get... ._. Well. I just moved across Canada. We're still not completely settled in, and I've been busy as hell trying to unpack stuff. I think a bit of patience on your part is necessary, here.

: O No one got tortured in this chapter! Maybe my sadistic tendencies are coming to an end? *gasp* ...Okay, we all know that's not true. Btw, I probably won't write the love scene between them. Sorry guys. I'm severely unable to write smut anymore. D: _**But if anyone wants to write it for me, PM me and let me know, and I'll give you full credit for it and everything**_**.** If I don't get someone wanting to do it within 2 weeks, I'm just going to skip over it and get on with the fic, and you guys can imagine all of the things that went down between them. I'm sure some of you have way better imaginations than me :'D


	22. Chapter 22: I love you

Author's notes:_READ THIS! IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT!_

Okay, so if you guys read my last a/n I asked if someone would write this for me, since I couldn't do it D: That lovely someone who decided they'd do it for me would beAritsu Yojichi. All credit for this chapter goes to her! The only thing I did was read it and say Fuck this was sexy and post it. I didn't add anything or take anything out. I even included her notes ^-^ SO! If you review, don't compliment ME. Compliment HER. Hell, PM her if you want.

~oOo~

A/N: Hoo boy. Sorry this took forever xXkey of destinyXx. The life of a college student is rough. -sigh- This was the hardest thing I had to do. It's not that I don't ship SoRoku, I'm just not used to writing Sora as a seme. -Fail.- But I did my best. So sit down and enjoy, try not to wet your panties from the awesome smut.

Soundtrack: Linkin Park-Metora, Hybrid Theory

Unknown Soldier-Breaking Benjamin

Looking Glass-Hypnogaja

Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 Soundtrack

Five Finger Death Punch-American Capatalist.

Pairing: SoRoku

Rating: Hard R/M/NC-17

Warnings: Smut! Need I say more?

Disclaimer: [Insert standard, flaming-like-Axel disclaimer here.]

_Sora pov_

I ran my tongue along his bottom lip, demanding entrance, which Roxas gladly gave. Soon our tongues were entangled in a heated battle that I was determined to win. Soon I broke away, a thin trail of saliva still connecting us for a heartbeat before it broke.

I looked into Roxas' eyes. He needed this just like I did; and he was right. Who knew if we could survive this; so this had to last.

My hands instantly went for Roxas' shirt. He got my point and took it off with me, revealing his pale, almost shining skin. Skin I wanted to mark as mine, and I knew that I would.

Once the shirt was removed, my lips automatically attached to my fledgelings collarbone. His head shot back as I sucked, leaving a small purple hickey to claim him as mine. Roxas let out a low moan. "Sora..."

I pulled back and looked at my angel of a fledgeling (no pun intended). His eyes were glazed over in lust, but also hid something else as well, which I had come to learn as love and adoration. It honestly made my heart swell. My hands travelled down his chest, making Roxas shiver, and down to his thighs. I could not help but drink in every reaction that my little blonde made.

When my hands reached his ass, Roxas ground his hips down into mine, making us both gasp. Our clothed erections moved against each other in such a delicious way, and I could tell Roxas needed the friction. I wrapped my arms around his waist and flipped us so that he was on bottom, kissing him once more before sitting up.

I licked my lips, not wanting to wait any longer. More like I couldn't wait any longer. I quickly snapped the button on Roxas' pants, hearing him gasp when my hand grazed his member on accident. I pulled both his pants and boxers down with one hand and threw them to some other corner of the room. Almost immediately a hand shot out to cover Roxas' erection, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Why are you hiding? I've already seen it." I smiled and Roxas couldn't help but blush. He slowly took his hand away, giving me a full view of how hard he was. Feeling like I had too much on, I pulled my own shirt over my head and out of my chocolate brown hair, the spikes falling back into their own perfect place as I threw the shirt somewhere else.

I felt Roxas' gaze on me and I couldn't help but smile as I claimed his lips as my own once more. As our tongues danced their elegant dance, I reached down to grab my fledgelings' member. He gasped and bucked his hips up into my hand, seeking more friction against that part of his body.

I bit his bottom lip, drawing his sweet blood to the surface as I kept up my work on his member. He was a moaning mess by the time I decided to stop and get to more pleasurable things.

When I took my hand away, I heard a whimper from Roxas. "Sora..."

"Shh, I'm not going anywhere." I said as I kissed down his chest, making him gasp every once in a while. I licked around his left nipple, slowly taking it into my mouth. I rolled the nipple around in-between my teeth, periodically sucking on the hard nub, making Roxas go crazy. His hands were in my hair, tugging and pulling at it, trying to make me do more.

And more I could not deny my little lover. I switched sides and gave his right nipple the same treatment as the left, sucking, nipping and biting down on it and making Roxas go crazy.

But that was not enough for Roxas, and I knew it. Abandoning my sweet torture on Roxas' chest, I licked a path down to his navel, making him take in a sharp gasp of air. Bypassing playing with his navel, I moved down to where he needed it. I traced one of his veins on his member with my tongue before engulfing the head, mindful of my fangs. As much as I would love to just sink my teeth down into the rich blood that flowed there, I knew Roxas would not appreciate it.

Roxas' moans and whimpers for more were music to my ears as I sucked on the tip, letting my tongue run over the slit to collect the pre-ejaculate that began to build. He begs me to stop teasing, but I didn't listen as I push three of my fingers at him. He knew instantly what I wanted, and took all three into his mouth, moving his tongue all around them.

When he was done coating them in his saliva, I pulled them from his mouth and positioned one at his entrance. With one glance up at him, I gave a hard suck to his member and slipped my finger in, groaning at the tightness and the heat. All Roxas could do was throw his head back and let out a pleasured scream. As I began moving my finger around, I pulled away from his member, my eyes locked with his. Slipping the second on in when I felt he was ready, I was met with little resistance and a small whimper.

I stilled my hand for a minuet before Roxas nodded his head for me to continue. I began to move my fingers apart in a scissoring motion then, searching for a certain spot inside of him. Realizing I was not going to hit it with only two fingers, I Leander down and took his entire length into my mouth as I thrust in the last finger, making Roxas buck his hips in pleasure and pain.

Again, I waited for a nod and when I got it, I began to hum a soft tune around him. His orgasm took me completely by surprise, and I could feel his rectal muscles clamp down rhythmically around my fingers. Pulling off of him to the tip, I swallowed everything he gave me with greed.

_Roxas POV_

I was totally unprepared for the intensity of the orgasm I had just had. Almost embarrassed that I couldn't do anything to warn Sora, but when I saw him drinking every last drop I had to give, I couldn't help but blush and stay hard.

Sora let go of my member with a 'pop' and looked up at me, pulling his fingers out as well. "Sora, I..."

Sora hushed me by placing two of his fingers against my lips. "It's ok. It was pretty good." I couldn't help but flush further at his words.

He pushed both of my legs up to my chest, grabbing a pillow to put underneath me so the position wasn't awkward for me at all. Grabbing onto my knees, I prepared myself for Sora's entrance. He slowly guided his member over to my entrance, spreading his pre-cum around the head of his arousal. I felt the tip hit me, and I mentally prepared myself and relaxed.

He slowly pushed in, making my face scrunch up in pain. He stopped once the head was in, whispering soothing words to me while running his hands through my spiky blonde hair. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. At the same time, he slammed the rest of his length into me, making me cry out in surprise.

Sora stilled once more inside of me, letting me adjust as he leaned down to kiss me. I opened my mouth to let him in and he pulled away. I looked up at him and he smiled, shifting a bit so that he could start moving inside of me. I gasped as the head of his member rubbed deep inside of me, sending sparks up my spine. "Sora!" I gasped.

"Right there?" My lover asked and rubbed that spot again, making me cry out his name. He smiled and began to pull out slowly and thrust back in, hitting my prostate the entire time. The same movements continued, growing faster and faster with each thrust, and I thought I was about to go crazy. Sora knew exactly where to hit each and every time; I thought I was going to come undone.

Just when I felt my orgasm upon me, Sora pulled out, making me whimper. I looked up at him and he looked down on me. "Get on your hands and knees." He said in a very commanding voice. I obeyed, rolling on to my stomach and getting on my knees, hugging a pillow for support.

With no warning, Sora entered me again; and I cried out in pure ecstasy. Sora began thrusting inside of me at a fast pace again, shifting his hips every few thrusts, trying to find my prostate again. One particularly sharp thrust made me gasp and arch my back. "There!" I cried out, moaning as loud as I can.

Sora didn't disappoint. He kept up his pace, and I began rocking my hips into his, adding to our pleasure. I looked back at him; his baby-like face was plastered with sweat. His chocolate brown spikes were beginning to stick to his face, and I couldn't help but moan at the sight.

His hand left my ass and grabbed my member, pumping it in time with his thrusts. I let out a high-pitched scream that I still cannot believe came out of me. "S-Sora...I'm..." I tried to voice out my warning, but the pleasure overtook me before I could finish my sentence. I arched my back and screamed Sora's name as I spilt my seed all over his hand and the bed.

Sora wasn't too far behind me. He gave a few more harsh thrusts into my spasming passage and bit down on my shoulder as he came inside of me, which is the most wonderful feeling in the world.

Sora's thrusts began to slow down and lose their momentum, and he eventually pulled out of me. Once he was out, I couldn't help but fall to the side, avoiding my mess. Sora watched and chuckled.

_Sora POV_

Roxas started to close his eyes, content with our love-making. As he snuggled into the covers, I couldn't help but smile as I saw my seed running down his leg.

Unable to leave him a mess, I got up and picked up one of our shirts (I believe it was Roxas') and began to clean the mess so that I could lay next to him. Once done, I threw the shirt to some corner of the room and pulled the covers over us both.

Roxas immediately put his arms around my waist, snuggling into my chest. I smiled and began to pet his blonde hair. "I love you, Rox." I mumbled into his forehead.

I smiled when I heard a small "I love you too, Sor," from the blonde.

Ari's rant corner: It is currently 1:13 AM. I hope you are happy. I fell asleep around eight and woke up at midnight to a very rude dream reminding me that I am alone and my boyfriend is in a different state. Why must dreams be rude?

I think my sister was in my dream as well, and I tried seducing my bf in front of her. I can't escape my pervertedness, even in my dreams. Which is ok, I guess. I have had quite a few dreams where I was Allen Walker being screwed by Tyki Mikk. One was a vampire Tyki. Mmmm P:

On another note, who has watched the new trailer for Dream Drop Distance? I almost had a heart attack. Visuals were simply beautiful, and I cannot wait until the full opening CG movie is released. It was fucking beautiful! Axel fighting dual-wielding Roxas. Oh Mai, it was a dream come true.

Anyway, Merry Christmas all! I hope you get what you want! I get ink fir my printer. :3 I've been without ink for ever! So my dad ordered me ink. :3 Now I can print out my own shit!

Remember kids, drinking is wrong! Drugs are bad, and yadda, yadda, yadda. Sleep, eat, hug a tree then burn it!

You can tell who my favorite KH character is. :3

~oOo~

Err... well I' not the author this time. So...

My notes!:

YEAH! MERRY CHRISTMAS PEOPLE! (Next chapter will be written by me. T^T I can't write smut these days...)

Thanks again, sosososoosososososo much,Aritsu Yojichi, for writing this :D You're awesome ;3


	23. Chapter 23: Roxas' sense of truth

**Author's notes: Okay, sorry for the long wait and tiny chapter again... I am so slow... **

**~o0o~**

Sora PoV

I'm torn out of my blissful and peaceful sleep with a loud bang. My eyes fly open and I shoot to my feet, looking aroud frantically. The first thing I automatically look for is Roxas. My heart calms down the slightest bit when I see him, still curled up and naked and all messy and cute and sexy as hell from last night. The memories of what we'd done—we'd made _love_—swirl through my head, making me grin like an idiot and pretty much forget about anythig else. I get snapped out of it when I hear voices. They sound like they're close, but not close enough to worry about. But still… I scramble into the first clothes I see; blue jeans and a bright red t-shirt. Hell if I know whose they are.

I swallow and put my hand out. I need a weapon. Let's see if I can summon my keyblade again… _Okay. I can do this. I want to protect…_ My eyes find Roxas again, and before I can get stuck staring at his  
angelish perfection, I finish my thought. _I want to protect Roxas._ I focus all my concentration onto that one thought and eventually the growing tingling in my hand explodes, and I'm holding my keyblade. I stare at it, proud that I'd figured out how to do this on my own. Even though I've made it come out of nowhere three times now, it still amazes me.

I glance at Roxas, wondering if maybe I should wake him up. I don't want to leave him here, alone and vulnerable… _He's not_. says a voice in my head. _He's probably stronger than you are._ Yeah, I guess… and I don't want to wake him, he looks so peaceful. I decide to not drift too far away from this room, and with one last look at Roxas, I slip out of the room.

Resting my keyblade on my shoulder, I look from side to side cautiously. The voices speak again, and I jump. They're a lot closer. Actually, so close that there are two shadows approaching the corner of the hallway. What the hell! I gulp down my fear, plant my feet, and hold my keyblade in a fighting position, waiting for what I can't help but think is something dangerous. Through the pounding in my ears, I think that if this is Riku and some ally of his, I have no chance. Maybe it's just me being paranoid, but…

Two people dash around the corner and I squeak, half out of horror of what I'd expected and half out of relief from what I see. It's sort of embarrassing how high that squeak was.

"God, you guys scared me!" I gasp, clutching my chest and making my keyblade disappear. "Jeeze, I think I peed a little!"

"This is no time for joking," Zexion snaps, grabbing my shoulders. He looks like a madman, his violet eyes wide and pupils dilated. My stomach churns at the look of panic in his eyes and the barely controlled tears in Demyx's wide aqua ones.

"What's going on?" I demand, my voice sounding a bit too breathless and trembly for my liking.

"Get Roxas, he should hear this too."

"But—"

"Get him!" Demyx shrieks. This is what makes my resolve break. Demyx had never looked so insanely panicked in his life. My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in each of my veins, but I nod. Something is wrong, horribly wrong.

Without another word I whirl around on my heel and book it to the room Roxas and I were sharing. Throwing open the door, I don't allow myself the pleasure of staring at his frail, pale, beautiful form as I yell, "Roxas, wake up! Something's going on!"

Groggily, his baby blues flutter open. "Sora...?"

Rummaging through the dresser, I throw a pair of what was probably Riku's jeans at him and my shirt from yesterday lands beside them. He looks at me, his eyes sharpening as he wakes up and feels the same ominous feeling I'd suddenly gotten when Zexion and Demyx had run at me.

"What's wrong?" he demands, throwing the shirt on. As soon as his jeans were buttoned up, I grab his wrist and yank him out of the room, trying not to hyperventilate. Zexion and Demyx are waiting a bit away, and as soon as they see us, they frantically wave us towards them.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" Roxas yells, his voice still rough from sleep. He looks pissed, and...Is he glowing? It's not the same diamond-like sparkle, more of a bright glow, like an incandescent bulb. I could also swear that I'd noticed something on his back earlier, but I was kind of a bit preoccupied to pay much attention. "Someone tell me just what the fuck is so important that—" If possible, he gets even paler. "Hey..." he says slowly, looking around. "Where's Axel? He should be back by now..."

Demyx looks like he wants to throw up. "Well, yesterday, after you left, Roxas, me and Zexy went to the river again so I could practice with my water, yeah?" Roxas and I nod like bobbleheads, gesturing for him to continue. "After a while, we heard noises in the forest, and got a bit freaked out, so we went to check..."

"Yes?" Roxas growls impatiently.

"We saw Axel, but... well, it didn't really seem like him. When he saw us, he sort of looked like he was confused, and he didn't look right..." Demyx looks at Zexion. "How do I explain this...?"

"It wasn't Axel," Zexion says. "But at the same time, it was. I'm thinking that one of Sephiroth's, err, minions I guess, might be able to possess people."

"No," Roxas flat-out says. We all look at him incredulously. He shakes his head. "There's no way Axel would let that happen."

"Roxas," I try to say, but he cuts me off with a glare.

"The thing Axel hates most is people that think they can get away with anything. If someone even tried to possess him, even if Axel was a human that could do nothing, even if he was bloody and broken, let me tell you, there is _no way_ he'd let anyone do that to him."

"But... Roxas..." Zexion says softly. "The vampire we're dealing with is more powerful than you think. If Sephiroth really wanted to possess Axel, he'd do it and Axel wouldn't stand a chance."

"You don't _get it_," Roxas snaps. "_No one_ knows Axel like I do. He would rather get himself killed than let someone do that to him. He might have gotten kidnapped, or something, but he'd never let himself get taken advantage of. He's had enough of that in his life from his brother; he won't let someone else fuck him over too. He's strong, probably stronger than any of us; If someone even tried, he'd bite his own tongue and drown in blood."

"So, basically you think that that was just a fake Axel?"

Roxas shrugs. "Why not? Lately, there's not a thing on earth I would believe is false."

As wrong as his words seemed, I can feel the truth. Axel wouldn't get possessed or some crap by anyone, so it was a good chance someone had just used an illusion. I guess this was one of those gut-instinct moments.

"So what do we do?" Demyx asks warily.

"I feel so cheesy asking this, but did you find any clues?" Roxas asks. "I last saw him in that meadow, where he buried Xion." He shuts his eyes, a line of stress appearing between his eyebrows. "If he was abducted, he might have left something behind. You know Axel, he won't go down without a fight; he probably left something behind if he knew he was going to be taken hostage so that we would be able to find out where he is."

"You have a valid point," Zexion says, tapping his chin. Now that everyone had calmed down, it was easier to think straight. "Okay. So pretty much we need to get to Xion's grave, right?"

"Yeah, which is only about ten minutes out," Roxas explains. He heads to the door. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to look right now." I guess I couldn't blame him for rushing in; Axel was his closest and oldest friend, after all. The three of us nod and follow Roxas' shaky, yet determined footsteps out the front door.

~o0o~

**Author's notes: Again, I am soooo sorry for making you guys wait, I'm a horrible person :/ Writer's block is really the worst thing for a writer. The reason this chapter is so painfully short is that I need to plan what's going to happen next, and I didn't want to make you guys wait even more when I had this much written and waiting to be posted. So it's pretty much just an appetizer for you guys to munch on while waiting for the main course to come. If I write it properly, there should only be about five(ish?) chapters left, but I'm just guesstimating... **

**I ask of you again, please bear with my slowness. Hopefully the climax and ending of the story will be enough to make up for how much I've made you guys wait.**

**ALSO, I have a question. It concerns the ending. Do you guys believe that an angel could bring back someone from the dead? This /is/ a fantasy story, after all. I just want your guys' opinions. **

**Okay, peace x3**


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